How to Set Achievable Goals
The New Year is almost here which has us all thinking about our goals for 2023. As a very goal-oriented person, I have gone through various processes to create lasting goals in my life. Lasting goals aren’t just goals that last, but goals that you can achieve. For the past many years, I have created New Year’s resolutions and every year I accomplish more and more of my goals. In 2022, as a matter of fact, I accomplished 26 of my 28 goals! That means I completed 92% of my goals this year!
To give you more insight on my goal-setting process, here is what I do to create achievable goals to live the life of my dreams!
Create an over-arching theme
Every year I create an overarching theme for the year ahead. Last year my overarching theme was Self-Development and this year my theme is Change. This theme will set into motion the overall focus of your goals and the person you want to be.
Free-write your wishes for the New Year
This is a new tactic that I learned from the book, The Power of One More by Ed Mylett. Before beginning to write down all of your goals, create space to free-write all of your wishes for 2023. This is your time to be authentically yourself and allow any dream to be acknowledged, big or small. Each year, our dreams change and it’s important to see what is important to us now (not only for this year, but for our future we envision).
Identify your “why”
After creating a single master wishlist and before you break those wishes down into goals, identify your “why” for this year. Why do you want to achieve your goals. What drives you? Make sure your “why” is strong and compelling.
Create your goals
It’s now time to take these general wishes and turn them into achievable goals. Make sure these goals are highly specific, reasonable, and challenging.
Group your goals into shorter time frames
Part of making your goals specific is by giving them a deadline. Breaking your goals down from one year into shorter periods (halves, trimesters, quarters, etc.) is helpful to not only achieve your goals but enable your ability to focus on a few at a time.
Create habits that coincide with your goals
Goals require consistent dedication and one way to be consistent with your goals is by creating habits. Creating habits allows us to break down these goals even further to actionable items we can do on a weekly/daily basis. Use habits to your advantage to not only to achieve your goals, but to become the person who achieves them. For example, instead of creating habits to lose 10 pounds, create habits as a healthy and fit person.
Create rewards for your goals
The act of achieving goals is a reward in itself. However, creating rewards for your accomplishments provides extra motivation while you’re achieving them and positive reinforcement for when you achieve your goals. It’s important to celebrate our little wins over the course of the year and to celebrate them with those we love!
Get accountable
Share your goals with someone you trust. By sharing them, we make them real. Set alarms. Set times to reflect on your goals daily, weekly, monthly, etc. Create a Vision Board. Do whatever you need to do to stay disciplined with your habits and goals, especially when motivation wains.
Just do it!
It’s time to put your plan into action. Planning is great, but it won’t achieve your goals for you. Implement your habits and get after it! You are the only person responsible for your dreams.
I hope you enjoyed learning about my process to setting achievable goals. I am very excited to see what 2023 has in store! I wish you all the very best and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish! :)
Happy New Year! xx