Aidy Bryant and Goals

Now, the only things that I love more than well-written comedies are goals. I love setting them, reaching them, and in the process, I love exploring why it is that some get going when the going gets tough and others don’t. I am eternally curious about the spirit of resiliency.

For example, have you ever wondered if Dolly Parton’s self-talk is that different than “Rosemary’s Granddaughter”, Miss One-hit-wonder, Jessica Andrews‘? 

Questions on grit are music to my ears! ♭♮♯

With this obsession, you can see why Aidy’s above post caught my attention.

Here she was, just doin’ her insanely talented thing at an improv club and while on a break, she’s watching SNL– a goal that would be obtained in less than 9 months.

Do you think she knew when she snapped this pic that she would be auditioning for SNL?

Probably.

Do you think she thought that she would actually make it?

Possibly, but then again, 32 of the most famous comedians failed to make Michaels laugh.

Did she even stand a chance?😳

Regardless, here she was on her break watching SNL. Not only was she choosing an R&R activity that would naturally polish her skills, but her present surroundings were filled with the hopes of her future. (And boom goes the dynamite!💥)

I know what you’re thinking. The hilarious SNL sketch with Aidy on vision boards?

Coming right up! 😂

Ok, now that we have returned to our seats after rolling on the floor with laughter, back to goals.

Is this true? Does surrounding our present with our hopes for the future actually catapult us toward tomorrow’s goals? 

Our goals begin to not only feel more attainable but also real as we 

marinate our days with them in a variety of multi-sensory ways.

As the psychologist, Barbara Nussbaum teaches, “This holistic experience [of things like vision boards] allows us to connect emotionally to our goals and our process in reaching them. When we invest the time to visualize, in detail, we become more emotionally connected to our wished-for goals,” she says. “And emotions are the glue that connects us to what’s most important in our lives.”

Along with being the glue, discerning our emotional reasons behind a goal is like putting the pedal to the metal on the road to success. In Weight Watchers, we call this “Finding Your Why”, and each person’s “why” is written in a very visual spot on her weight log so that they are constantly reminded of their reason for joining. 

Not only do our physical surroundings affect the shelf-life of our aspirations, but our relationships do as well. (Big time!) As the famous motivational speaker, Jim Rohn (and my Dad) teach, “We are the average of the five people that we surround ourselves with the most.” This means that our view of self, habits, and even goals are all transformed (for better or worse) by those in our social circles. This also means that it should come as no surprise to us that Aidy’s besty is another extremely talented and driven comedian. #YouAreWhoYourFriendsAre

Aidy and beloved officemate, Kate McKinnon at 2014 Emmys.

Basically, the more intimate (Is that awkward?😕) we become with tomorrow’s goals today by filling our surroundings (physical and emotional surroundings) with the hopes of them, the more efficient we become at growing toward them. 

I know what you’re thinking, 

“Meg, I still think vision boards are lame, so what else ya got?” 

I hear ya, so here are some other tips to fill today with tomorrow’s achievements. Tweak and apply however you best see fit.

When the goal of writing a book struck my heart, I made some major changes in my life. I got off of every board/committee that was not helping me achieve this goal. (I got off of all of them.) I hung up quotes and pictures of some of my favorite writers around my desk, bed, and closet. Now don’t tease me, but I put a little shelf right by my bed and it held my most beloved books. For some reason, I wanted them closest to me while I slept–osmosis, maybe? 😂

While I folded laundry or washed dishes I would listen to Ted Talks by some of the best communicators. I got serious about practicing mindfulness in hopes of decreasing my negative self-talk. I gave up 1.5 hours of TV at night, so I could get up before the fam and write. Since my brain operates best in the morning, I fiercely protected this time. Me at my kitchen table with Google docs, Mozart, and coffee still gleefully pull me away from my pillow. After two years of nurturing this habit, my days are incomplete without it. 

I began reaching out to actual authors on social media for advice, and to my surprise, most of them responded! I honored my free-time by filling it with healthy friendships that gave me life, and I found that even in my lil’ midwestern town there were five published authors, who I could annoy with questions. 😉

So, that’s what it looked like for me, but what about you?

Do you see, feel (smell?) or hear reminders of this goal throughout your day? 

If not, what is one simple way that you could? 

However your brain is wired, do you have a space created where you can work towards this goal? 

If not, what would your ideal workspace look like? 

When is your brain most alive? Morning, afternoon, or night? 

What routine could you establish based on this to work toward your goal? 

Are your relationships setting you up for success re: your goals?

Is it time for some boundaries to be established with certain loved ones?

Most of the time, the biggest roadblocks in reaching our goals are our minds. 

How are you at being nice to yourself? 

If you were to support your best friend toward a goal, 

what would you tell him/her? Write or say those things to yourself.