Before we proceed any further, I bet you’re wondering,

“What are rollover goals?”

I’m glad you asked.

If you’ve ever seen an AT&T commercial or are an AT&T mobile service user, you’re probably familiar with the term “rollover minutes.” In cell phone speak, rollover minutes are unused minutes that are moved to the next month of your service plan. For instance, if your monthly plan includes 600 minutes, but you only use 400, the remaining 200 will “roll over” into next month’s service, allowing you 800.

Sounds pretty spiffy, huh?

The Problem with Rollover Goals

Unfortunately, rollover goals are only similar to rollover minutes in this manner – they roll over. Into next month. Into next year. But not into the next lifetime.

See, if your goals are continuously rolling over into the following years, you aren’t accomplishing them. And what good are goals you don’t accomplish?

At best, they serve as continual motivators that, while progress may be slow, you’re still inching towards a greater outcome.

At worst, they’re bitter reminders that you haven’t succeeded in what you set out to do months and even years ago. You’re no closer to reaching them now than when you first resolved to do them, and you’re not quite sure if they’ll ever happen. Bummer.

No need to worry, though. Just as I said in this post, achieving your goals is both practical and possible.

Read that sentence again.

Achieving your goals is both practical AND possible. Which means you can do it! You can start today, using this little guide to help see you through.

How to: Stop Rolling Over Goals, Start Reaching Them

1. State your purpose. Be clear and concise about what it is you want to accomplish. You’ve pushed it off so long that maybe you’ve forgotten the exact thing you were working towards. Consider this: maybe you’ve put it off so long because you’re no longer sure it’s what you want. That’s okay, too. Now’s the perfect time to edit and restate that initial goal.

2. Set a deadline. Sure, you said you wanted to become a published author or Guinness record holder this year, but ‘this year’ isn’t a specific time. Try this instead: I want to become a record holder before March 1, 2014.

3. Check in/measure your progress. It’s January 5, 2014. You’re halfway till your March 1 deadline. Have you made progress towards goals? What’s that? You’ve raised half the money for your birthday fundraiser? Go you! {If you keep at it and up the pace, you could possibly surpass your the end goal. See where I’m going here?}

4. Reward yourself. Turn down for what!? Am I right? You’ve worked hard for this goal, girl! Bask in the beautiful feeling of accomplishment. Throw in a spa session or a night out with your boo for kicks. You deserve it!

What are some of your rollover goals? Do you have a plan to reach them?