Congratulations! We've managed to make it to the half-way point of this first month of this new year.

That said, we've also managed to make it past that frantic first couple of weeks where a lot of people take stock of their lives and projects... and then set goals, intentions, resolutions, aspirations *(or whatever you like to call them)* for the new year.

![0928Eagle.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmRJmknPGqMj4XFoQ3QBGSU2wVzD5upD2c9RHoBKNyfFYp/0928-Eagle.jpg)

This year, I even participated in one of our community challenges and made my primary financial and work goals *"public, and in writing,"* through **@theycallmedan's** LeoFinance challenge at the beginning of the year.

I find that doing so increases my inclination towards *accountability.*

Whereas setting goals is a nice idea, goal-setting is only useful as a tool for self-improvement if you regularly assess your process of — and progress towards — *reaching* them. Otherwise, you just went through a pretty meaningless mental exercise that's likely to lead to... *nowhere.* As I am sure you know, *very few* of people's so-called *"New Year's Resolutions"* actually succeed!

I am always amazed by just *how many* people will set all manners of goals at the beginning of the year, but when you come back and ask them how they are doing — let's say, in mid-May — they don't even *remember* the specifics of their goals.

![0976Beach.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmYCnEB8DtJkoiScKkE6WcRBC93mPvJw6TgoVg8tGFui8T/0976-Beach.jpg)

Not *entirely related*, over the past couple of years, I have been diligently trying to become a *"financially responsible human being"* again, as part of which I have been trying to raise my credit score *(perhaps only an important thing, here in the USA)* from the dead. This is the result of Mrs. Denmarkguy and I setting as a goal that we wanted to become *"credit worthy"* enough to be able to qualify for a Home Equity Loan by the end of 2022... the house will need a new roof, in a few years and the likelihood that we would actually have $15,000 of cash sitting around are pretty much *zero.* 

Well, that credit repair is more than just *wishful thinking,"* and *part* of the process is that I diligently log into my **[Credit Karma](https://www.creditkarma.com/)** account on the 1st and the 15th of every month to to keep tabs on our progress. 

But I digress...

![0981Eagles.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmPLFNRjiSKoXkRG8Bcbt2rWxxPDNGcp7pS5pjBGKSjA46/0981-Eagles.jpg)
*Keeping an eye on things!*

For this year, I set myself a number of goals for my micro-businesses and part of the process of *(hopefully!)* *reaching* those goals is checking in with my actual progress once a month... a process that *also* allows me to spot where I might have been *too* ambitious, or not ambitious *enough.* Furthermore, it allows me to determine where *"things are WORKING"* and where things are *not* in case I have to change the way I have been doing things.

With my Hive-based/writing goals, I like to check in every couple of weeks to simply *"put a pin in the chart"* on a regular basis. It's tempting *not* to because we like to think we know where we are *"more or less by FEEL"* but actually making physical note of *points reached* makes me more likely to stay on task.

![1057Boat.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQme3GfhibpEWykiAvEVmFJbUGegftm5XT7hyoWhDBaPYWE/1057-Boat.jpg)

I am not sure entirely *why,* but *"charting progress"* seems to be a heavy burden for many people... perhaps because we don't like to come face-to-face with our tendencies to *let things slide.* As the saying goes *"out of sight is out of mind."* 

And yet? Charting our progress is a pretty essential practice, and one that has been with us for centuries across many walks of life: Think of the explorers and traders of old who would travel globe in search of new lands and riches. I'm willing to bet they charted their progress *very* diligently. 

You can't really hope to reach where you want to end up, if you don't know where you *are,* at any given moment!

So, for all you New Year's goal-setters out there, remember to keep track of how you're progressing... even if it *is* a bit *"boring"* sometimes! It'll really help you get where you're going!

Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend!

***How about YOU? Do you revisit your goals regularly? Do you actively chart your progress? Do you find it makes a difference/no difference? Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!***

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Created at 20210115 13:33 PST*
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