A guide on how to set goals (and keep them) in the new year.
We are almost halfway through January and here I am talking to you about setting goals for the new year. I know, where was this 11 days ago right? To be honest, in recent years I’ve found myself easing into the new year. I like to give myself space to brainstorm and envision what I want my year to look like. In doing so my ability to set goals and keep them is strengthened because I took the necessary time to plan.
The truth is, New Year’s resolutions tend to be a lot of hype. Sometimes they can be lofty, loud and attract a lot of attention. Pretty much … they just sound good. And within the first few weeks of January they can fizzle out. The main issue here is that sometimes big ideas, lacking the proper follow through cannot be sustained. Without clearly defined tasks, knowing your “why” and having systems of accountability, it can be difficult to get the results you want.
Let’s pivot away from resolutions and try another approach: effective and intentional goal setting. I recommend setting goals for the new year that are based on reflections from past experiences, visions for the future and ideas that you can develop a strong commitment to.
1. Reflect on past experiences
Completing your goals are a product of the effort you put in. Reflection is all about you. This process will look different for everyone. While you don’t have to do reflection exercises alone, the thoughts that you develop from these conversations will reveal personal truths. Keep in mind, humans are complex, layered individuals. This is an opportunity to be honest, but to also extend grace to yourself. If you want to get the most out of this experience, you do not want to use this time to beat up on yourself.
Reflecting on past experiences is the first step in determining your goals. To gain perspective while reflecting you will need to identify your “wins” and your “losses”. Your wins are the areas in your life that went well. Your losses are the areas in your life that didn’t go well or were met with challenges.
For each of these categories, identify your wins and losses:
- Personal
- Professional
- Emotional
- Spiritual
Once you have your list, you can start to focus on what matters most to you. This will cause you to hone in on your “why”. This is the secret sauce to staying motivated while you work on your goals.
2. Create a vision for the future
Ask yourself: what do I want my life to look like this year? How do I want to feel? Who do I want to spend my time with? What do I want to achieve?
A vision is an image of your future. So for all my dreamers, this is for you. This is where your deepest values, beliefs and priorities come alive. It is what you believe in and what you hope to one day create or have an impact on.
It can be also helpful to visualize your visions in a tangible way. You can do this by creating a vision board, or writing it out using post-its or drawing them in a notebook. After this step, I encourage you to complete one more step. I encourage you not to stop here. No matter how you create your visuals, it is important to have a plan that you bring your visions to life.
3. Develop a strong commitment to your goals
Setting clear goals help you move towards the vision you have for your life. When you have identified the areas of your life that you are committed to changing you can use the SMART method to set your goals.
- S- Specific: What needs to be accomplished?
- M- Measurable: How much do you want to accomplish?
- A- Achievable: Is the goal realistic?
- R- Relevant: Why do you want to accomplish this goal?
- T- Time-based: By when should the goal be accomplished?
Related: How To Achieve Your Goals By Focusing On What Matters Most
Once you have defined each goal using the SMART method, you will need to plan out the steps it will take you to achieve the goal. Next break the goal into smaller steps to understand what will be required in order to achieve the goal.
For example
Let’s say you identified areas in your professional life that you want to work on. You may desire a promotion or a new job (YOUR VISION) for yourself. You see just yourself in that corner office. If pursuing additional education (THE GOAL) can put you in a better position for your career development (YOUR “WHY”), you could use this example as a way to set your SMART goals:
Specific: I want to complete a Data Visualization Certificate.
Measurable: I will enroll in an online class that offers a grading system so I can track my progress.
Attainable: I have already worked on projects that involve data visualization software and have a baseline skill set.
Relevant: Completing this course will show my supervisor my commitment to improving my skills.
Time Based: If I take two classes per semester, I can get the certificate by the end of the year.
Now all you have to do is start. Take some time to think about where you’ve been, where you are and where you hope to be. You can do this!
Live abundantly,
Bethany
