Happy New Year’s Eve, eve, friends! I figured that today, most of us are finalizing plans for how we’re going to ring in 2018. Maybe you have your list of goals or intentions all set for the New Year or maybe you don’t even know where to start. Either way, this post is for you.
I can appreciate the urge to set a ton of new goals at the start of a new year. Everything feels reset, we finally have a fresh start regardless of what went down the previous year. This year, I purchased a set of Power Sheets because I really wanted to get intentional about how I mapped out each month moving forward this year.
When you combine the desire to start fresh with the dozens of posts on social media of everyone getting a jump start on their own goals, everyone feels pressures and questions themselves a bit.
Are my goals good enough?
Do I have enough of them?
What will others think of my goals?
What DO I even want to accomplish next year?
Any of these things sound familiar? I’ve been there.
Okay, take a deep breath. I’m writing this post today to let you know that it’s not that deep. Trust me!
Set goals to help make and track progress on all of those wonderful ideas inside of your head. Set goals for the year so that yu can feel that amazing feeling of accomplishment as you mark each and every one of them done.
It’s seriously the best feeling. And here’s how you’re going to experience that rush in 2018, over and over again, as you crush every goal you set:
January 1 is an arbitrary deadline.
It’s wonderful if you have a list of well thought out and considerate goals ready to implement when the clock strikes 12. It’s also perfectly fine if you don’t have a single goal ready to go until mid-February. These deadlines mean nothing. You can get all of your goals by the first and still not accomplish a single one. Don’t pressure yourself.
Select thoughtful, real to you goals.
If getting back to the gym isn’t something you really want to focus on next year, skip adding it to your list. The best way to accomplish your goals is to set ones that really matter to you; ones that would impact you if you accomplish them (or if you don’t).
Break your goals down.
“Start a Youtube channel” is an okay goal, but what does it mean? Just claim the channel name? Upload a video? Gain followers? Break down exactly what accomplishing that goal would look like. This will serve as a road map for you to use during the year as you get things done.
It also helps me to separate my goals into categories. I have goals for the blog, goals for my work, and personal goals that I want to accomplish. Setting a few in each area helps me to strive for a more well rounded year.
Write your goals down
I mentioned in my 17 lessons post that if you don’t write things down, they really don’t exist. That is certainly true when it comes to your goals! Don’t just write a list of goals on a scrap paper that you never see again and lose before Spring comes. This year, I’m writing mine and working through them using the Powersheets, but I also write them out in my journal so I can flip back and reflect on them. If you have deadlines for certain goals, add them to your planner or calendar. If you have a white board in your house or studio, write whatever goals you’re focusing on at the moment there.
Select an accountability partner
This is probably the most important step you can take in your goal setting. Whether you have one person to hold you accountable for all of your goals or someone for each area, finding this partner is essential. I have several myself, and I accomplished so much because of them. From Charisma, who would literally text me when something I’d talked about hadn’t launched or Jordan, who always encourages me to do more and break through self doubt. They’re who I get resources from, who I turn to for motivation and who I celebrate my wins with.
Find your person, or your people, and decide how you guys will work together to monitor your progress. Will you email weekly? Text throughout the month? In-person meetings monthly or quarterly are my personal favorites. When you know you have someone rooting for you and pushing you along, getting the work done is much more manageable.
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Whether you’re setting two goals or twenty goals this year, I hope 2018 is the happiest, healthiest and most productive year of your life to date. If you already have some goals in mind, feel free to share them in the comments!