Setting monthly goals is, like, my half-baked way of not totally losing it in this wild life. I’m sitting here in my cramped Seattle apartment, rain smacking the window like it’s personally mad at me, and my desk looks like a craft store exploded—sticky notes everywhere, a coffee mug that’s seen better days, and my cat glaring at me like I owe her rent. Setting monthly goals sounds all fancy, like something a Type-A influencer with a color-coded planner does, but me? I’m a hot mess, and yet this goal-setting thing keeps me kinda motivated daily, even when I’m, like, tripping over my own sneakers. Set Monthly Goals
I’ve been setting monthly goals since I landed in the US a few years back, and let me tell you, adulting here is just a series of “whoops” moments tied together with too much coffee. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about finding a system that gives you a little spark every morning, even if you’re running on fumes. So, grab your overpriced latte (oat milk, obviously), and let’s dive into my sloppy, real, sometimes cringey process for setting monthly goals that actually keep me going. Spoiler: it’s not pretty, but it works. Mostly.
Why Setting Monthly Goals Feels Like a Superpower (Most Days)
Okay, real talk: setting monthly goals isn’t just about checking stuff off a list. It’s like giving yourself a GPS when life’s screaming “recalculating!” at you. I figured this out back in 2023 when I was juggling a new job, a side hustle selling dumb T-shirts online, and a weird obsession with baking sourdough that tasted like sadness. I’d wake up every day feeling like a hamster in a wheel, just spinning. Then I started breaking my year into monthly chunks, and it was like, whoa, I can actually see where I’m going. Even if I still spill coffee on my keyboard, like, weekly.
Monthly goal planning is great ‘cause it’s not as scary as those big yearly resolutions. It’s small, it’s doable, and when I mess up? There’s always next month. I read somewhere on the American Psychological Association’s site that short-term goals keep you motivated ‘cause you see progress faster. That’s me, chasing those tiny wins like they’re rare Pokémon cards. Except sometimes I drop the ball. Hard.
My Super Embarrassing First Stab at Monthly Goal Setting
So, picture me a few years ago in a Portland coffee shop, trying to look like I had my crap together. I’d just dropped $30 on a fancy planner ‘cause some TikTok guru swore it’d change my life. My big goal? “Be a morning person.” Y’all, I am not built for 5 a.m. wake-ups. I set my alarm, thinking I’d be this yoga-doing, green-juice-drinking queen. Day one, I hit snooze so many times my phone legit gave up. By day four, I was back to rolling out of bed at 10, and that planner? It’s got more coffee rings than actual goals. Total fail.
But here’s the tea: that flop taught me to set monthly goals that actually fit my life, not some influencer’s highlight reel. Now my goals are more like “drink water before my third coffee” or “write 500 words for that blog I keep ghosting.” Keep it real, you know?
How I Actually Set Monthly Goals Without Totally Screwing It Up
Alright, let’s get into how I do this monthly goal planning thing. It’s not some rocket-science crap, but it’s also not one-size-fits-all. I’m typing this in my Seattle apartment, rain still going tap-tap-tap, and my cat’s now asleep on my planner, which is rude. Here’s my process, complete with all my fumbles: Set Monthly Goals
- Brain Dump Like a Maniac: I start by scribbling every random idea for the month in my planner. Like, everything—work stuff, weird dreams, even “learn to make kimchi” (still haven’t). No filter, just chaos. Last month, I had “run a 5K” next to “binge that new alien show.” Don’t judge.
- Pick Three Big Ones: I narrow it down to three goals that feel exciting but not impossible. Why three? ‘Cause my brain’s like, “Nah, that’s enough.” For September, it’s “write 10 blog posts,” “walk 10,000 steps a day,” and “call Mom twice a week.” That last one’s personal, but it keeps me from being a crap daughter.
- Chop ‘Em Up: Each goal gets broken into daily or weekly bits. For the blog posts, I aim for 500 words a day, three days a week. Walking? I sneak steps in during lunch. It makes setting monthly goals feel less like climbing a mountain and more like a chill stroll.
- Track It Like a Dork: I use Todoist ‘cause my planner’s a mess. Those checkmarks? Pure dopamine. I also slap neon sticky notes on my fridge, which my roommate thinks is unhinged, but it works. Sometimes.
The Time I Set a Goal and Totally Bailed (But Learned Stuff)
True story: last year, I set a monthly goal to “meditate daily for 10 minutes.” Sounds zen, right? Except I kept forgetting, and when I did remember, I’d legit fall asleep two minutes in. I was telling my friends I was “all about mindfulness” while basically napping on my yoga mat. Cringe city. But that fail showed me I gotta set goals that match my vibe. Now I do “two-minute breathing breaks,” and it’s actually doable. Check out Mindful for some solid tips on starting small—I owe them for saving my butt.
Keeping Daily Motivation Going with Monthly Goals
Here’s where setting monthly goals really pops off: it’s like a daily espresso shot for your motivation. Mornings, I peek at my goals (or, okay, the sticky notes on my fridge) and get this little buzz, like, “Alright, I got this.” Some days, I’m just trudging through Seattle’s drizzle to hit my 10,000 steps, but those goals keep me from yeeting myself into a Netflix coma.
My big trick? Tie goals to stuff I actually give a crap about. Like, calling Mom isn’t just a task; it’s hearing her cackle when I tell her I burnt my toast again. That emotional pull makes daily motivation way easier. Forbes says connecting goals to your values is key, and I’m like, yup, that checks out.
My Biggest Goal-Setting Disaster (and Why I’m Cool with It) Set Monthly Goals
Gotta confess: sometimes my monthly goal planning goes straight to hell. Last winter, I was like, “I’m gonna save $500,” living in freakin’ Seattle, one of the priciest cities ever. Ha! I blew half my budget on a puffy coat ‘cause I was freezing my butt off. I stared at my bank account like it personally insulted me. Felt like a total loser. But that screw-up taught me to set flexible goals. Now I go for “save $200 or skip one coffee shop run a week,” which doesn’t make me wanna cry. Messing up is just part of the deal, y’know?
Wrapping Up: My Messy Love for Setting Monthly Goals
So, yeah, setting monthly goals is my chaotic, not-at-all-perfect way of keeping motivated every day. It’s not about being some productivity guru—it’s about finding what gets you stoked, even if you faceplant sometimes. I’m here, rain still hammering my window, cat now drooling on my planner, and I’m feeling pretty okay about my September goals. They’re messy, they’re mine, and they keep me moving, one sticky note at a time.
