In the words of Henry Ford, “obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” Undoubtedly, the Coronavirus has not only frightened us but also offset our monthly goals thus changing the way we lived our lives. Taking a look at how the coronavirus global pandemic has changed the economies of the world, there’s every reason to strive to set or reset our goals going forward.

Guys, much has been written about how to set your annual goals. Trust me, I’m not here to bore you with yet another write-up on the same. In light of the predictions that the coronavirus may never go away, this could be a golden chance for you to strive to look at your monthly goals for any incremental shift you can achieve. Judging from the look of things, we’re going to be living life one day at a time now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a prophet of doom.

As Blacks, we’ve been through a lot and most of it has been thanks to our fault. The coronavirus healthcare disparities and stuff like the pinning down of one of us, R.I.P, are just but the many things we can victoriously overcome someday. In the twenty-first century America, a Black person is not who you think or feel you are regardless of your money, character, and status unless the power that be call it. You’d agree with me then that money is and should not be a goal, so let’s cease from chasing it. Instead, we can take this Covid-19 period as a golden opportunity to redefine our values; set monthly goals, and strive to achieve them in any way it gives us a sense of fulfillment.

Our brains are the goal-seeking part of our body. Whatever goals we feed the brains with, they strive to achieve. The urge you feel to recheck any of these goals will ultimately motivate you to accomplish even more of them. For those of us who always want justifications for virtually everything, here are a few reasons why you should strive to set monthly goals:

• Goals guide your focus. By setting a goal, you naturally direct your ‘all’ towards achieving it. Whatever your mind perceives, your mind achieves.

• Goals influence your behavior. A clear goal helps us to develop a mental cue that triggers our focus towards actionable behavior. The more we act out in this behavior, the more we forge the reality that fulfills our goals.

• Goals help us sustain momentum. They are just the fuel needed to power on.

• Goals help build character, and promote self-mastery.

Hopefully, that’s enough justification. Here are 10 monthly goals any Black person should strive to set and achieve moving forward:

1. Be Confident

Confidence is quiet and it takes time to develop it in your own skin. Every month, learn to be comfortable with your decisions and on how to tackle issues your own way. Always strive to do something that scares you. Do things that are out of your comfort zone and see your life become better.

2. Commit to physical wellness

You could have achieved your ‘get in ‘shape’ goals before the Covid-19 pandemic, but thanks to the lockdowns and stay at home orders, chances are you’ve added untold weight.  A good place for you to start your pursuit for monthly goals starts with you having a good physical health. You’ve got to think straight. Physical wellness is no guarantee for a long life, but it will increase your odds. Create an exercise goal and stick to it. You only have one body, treat it right. Give yourself the love that you deserve and check what you eat. Thank yourself later.

3. Create stress-busting sessions

Undoubtedly, we’re living in the most stressful moments of our time. The Coronavirus has led to loss of jobs and resulted to domestic violence all around the world. All this stress could even result to a bigger crisis. To avert this, purpose to set aside some time to just relax and enjoy life. Ensure that in your monthly plans, ‘you’ time is included.

4. Transform your weakness into strengths

 At this time of the year, you are probably fortunate to be aware of at least one weakness you have. If so, congrats! Transformation and growth start from self- awareness. Nobody can change you; only you can, and if you are not self-aware, the equation for a new you and a renewed strength isn’t complete. Why don’t you consider taking a moment to reflect deeply this weekend, and try turning around that weakness you found this month?

Once you spot the weakness, try not to make an excuse for it. Don’t get carried away into self-blaming either. Simply ask yourself the one million dollar question that many hardly ask themselves – “what might I do to work on this weakness?” You’ll be amazed how the universe will set a compass instantly to point you to the direction you need to take. Try it, and see that the better version of you is just around the corner.

5. Grow your faith

Apologies to the reader who considers the idea of faith a silly notion. Understandably, some people quickly associate religion to the concept faith, and this is where people draw the line very quickly and take offense. The faith I’m talking about here is your faith. It’s very personal and different for each of us. We can, however, agree that faith is not logic.

If you can rationalize and build a sound deductive argument around your faith, it’s for sure not a faith. Faith is a belief; a hope; and a venerability in a higher existence that ‘two plus two’ cannot explain. No one can see it, but you. Yet, it has been a game-changer, life-altering, and jaw-dropping experience for many. Without faith, goals are pointless. Make growing your faith one of your monthly goals especially during this Covid-19 pandemic season, and feel something “unreasonably” different.

6. Be more disciplined

If there is something the coronavirus has taught us, it must be the aspect of discipline especially on matters of handwashing and social distancing. That notwithstanding, for you to achieve any goal you have to become a tad bit more disciplined. The best way to achieve this is by setting small strict deadlines and ensuring that you follow them. Ensure you do a daily overview to help you stick to your goals.

7. Resume education

Every day is a learning process thus a new piece of your education. What use have you put on the knowledge you have today? Next month will you be the same person you are now? Obviously you wish for some progress. To achieve that you need to be focused and nurtured. Strive to set monthly goals and don’t fear any change. In all you do, aspire to become wiser, and more complete.

8. Have proper mindset and balance

Always strive to set your sights on the person you want to be, and do all you can to achieve the projection. Evaluate your attitude- are you the the timid or the overly aggressive type? Too much of something is poisonous. Ensure your mindset is at proper balance. Simmer than a bit, or turn up the heat slightly as needed. You’ll feel good about the balance that follows.

9. Set a savings goal

In every crisis there is an opportunity. During this Covid-19 pandemic, many people who are still fortunate to be working are doing so on shifts. Take the off days as a perfect time to start saving for something big. You can even consider saving the carfare you would normally spend. Ultimately, the end will justify the means. Just ensure you have a monthly commitment and stick to it. You’ll be amazed at how much you could eventually save to treat yourself to a vacation or other things you need later on.

10. Go offline

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you ought to have noted that there is a lot of negative vibes being propagated in the social media. That’s not something you want to have, not as this pandemic sticks around, and not after. To avoid this, it’s important to go offline once in a while. Detox yourself from the internet for a week and see your life become more relaxed as you focus on the real you. Explore life a bit on the “outernet” and see. You can survive it; just make it a challenge.

Final Thoughts

To just sit and wait for fate to play its hand out is not the way we should operate. Every month let’s ensure we take stock of where we are and how it compares to where we wish to be, and determine how to forge ahead. As they say, ‘if you are bored with life, if you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things, you don’t have enough goals.’ Don’t be that person. To live a happy life, you ought to keep creating a ‘what next’ in your life. Don’t just exist, strive to set any of the above monthly goals and watch your growth and transformation.

Your turn: what goals do you think the Black people should set for themselves this year and the years to come? Share your comments below, and watch how your contribution could inspire others!