1 – Look at the various areas of your life
In preparation to set goals, first look at the various areas of your life. There are seven main areas: personal, professional, financial, health & fitness, relationships, community, spiritual.
You can write these seven areas down on a piece of paper, or put them in electronic format.
I created an Excel file, which I update every year. You can organize it as you wish. I use two columns: one where I list the seven areas and the next column I leave blank to write later.
2 – Write down your past achievements
For every one of the seven areas mentioned above, write down all of your achievements of the past year.
Consider everything, from what seems to be a tiny baby step toward a greater goal, to your greater endeavours.
Take time to do this. If it helps, put on some soothing music, close your eyes and play a film in your head of every month of the past year. Maybe it works better for you to go for a walk in nature or to sit in your special place in contemplation. Do whatever works for you to recall your achievements in all of the seven mentioned areas.
3 – Make a list of the goals you have not reached yet
Next, look back at the current year and make a list of the goals you have not reached yet. These goals may or may not have been formally defined and expressed.
If this is the first time you are doing a similar exercise, think of everything you wanted to accomplish but for one reason, or another, did not happen. Write them down in an additional column, next to your achieved goals, for each of the seven areas, if so applies. (In the following year, you will assess your achievements based on your previous year’s goals.)
Just as for the exercise in point 2, choose whatever method works for you.
Do this without feeling bad or guilty. There is always a reason behind the why’s and why not’s some things don’t happen as we plan and wish. Maybe the time was not right yet, or it was just not meant to be. Keep your mind flexible and your heart opened.
4 – Ask yourself these questions
Now that you have a list of “not yet achieved” goals, look at them carefully and ask yourself these questions: Do I still want to achieve those goals?; Why are they so important to me?; How would my life change if I did accomplish them? Is that what I truly, deeply want?
Write down all answers to those questions and any other thoughts that come to your mind, in an additional column.
Remember, this is supposed to be a fun and constructive process. Do not beat yourself up.
After pondering upon the above questions, formulate your goals, for each area of your life, for the following year.
Make sure to exclude past goals that no longer serve you and add the new goals that will move you forward.
When setting your goals make sure they are SMART goals:
· Specific – The goal focuses on a specific area of your life that needs improvement.
· Measurable – You can somehow measure improvement/progress.
· Achievable – It needs to have a possible outcome.
· Realistic – Keep your goals realistic considering the available resources you have to achieve them.
· Time-related – Set a deadline to achieve your goal.
More about SMART goals here.
6 – Set deadlines for your goals
Now that your goals have been set, it is time to determine a deadline for each goal.
Preferably, include a day, month and even time. This will keep you on your toes to achieve your goal.
If it makes sense, spread your goals throughout the months of the year so you don’t overwhelm yourself.
7 – Break down your goals
Your are almost done. The next step is to share your goals with someone you trust and make them your accountability partner.
Your accountability partner will be someone who will help you keep track of your goals throughout the year. This is more effective than monitoring your progress on your own.
Don’t have anyone you trust to be your accountability partner?
I can help. Send me an email with the subject “I need an accountability partner”.
You are now all set. Go get them!
Keep focused on your goals. Have them handy and read them preferably every day. Make it your morning ritual to read your goals so they don’t fall into nothingness.
If you do this, you will see that by having your goals fresh in your mind every day, they will inspire and power your actions, which will help you move closer to achieving them.
If you want to start the New Year with clear goals now is the time to take action. Naturally, you can set goals at any time during the year, but custom has it that New Year resolutions go hand in hand with goal setting.
Every time I open my “Life Master Plan” file I feel connected to my goals and committed to my mission to achieve them.
If you just set goals and put them away, most probably not much ground will be conquered.
This yearly exercise keeps me walking with clarity. Sometime I may need to take a detour but I still know where I am headed.
Very important, is to keep flexible in the process. Sometimes the goals we set are not the best for us and if they don’t come through, it’s ok. As long as we put in the effort and keep walking, we will be fine.
Take a look at mindset inspiration.
Start planning to have an amazing New Year!
May The Bliss be with you!
