To Make Resolutions or To NOT Make Resolutions?
Are you team New Year’s resolutions? Or are you team ‘make and set goals’ no matter what season it is?
As we get ready to bid adieu to 2023 and prepare to welcome 2024, be sure to set yourself up for success with what you hope to accomplish. Consider your mindset and prepare to take action when making goals for yourself. Here are five easy ways to position yourself to create, meet, and exceed your personal goals:
1. Step by Step
Brainstorm your goals – be it personal, professional, or financial – and break them down into smaller increments quarter by quarter. Setting reasonable expectations in the first quarter of the year can help trickle down towards the rest of the year, ultimately setting up a solid foundation for success.
2. Prepare to Pivot
Life’s path is not always linear. Embrace and understand that expectations may not always be met, or certain goals may not be as easy to accomplish. This will allow for setting and meeting goals to be more realistic. Consider creating a plan that can be applied at any time should you need to shift.
3. Check in with Yourself
In order to stay on track, schedule a weekly or monthly check-in with yourself to observe how you are feeling and to see how far you’ve come. Do you need to make changes to make your goals more manageable? Have your goals shifted due to life circumstances? Are there opportunities for growth? Re-evaluating where you are will help you to stay focused and continue to achieve what you’ve set out to do.
4. Find Balance
Always remember to make time for yourself while remaining focused on your goals. It can be difficult to maintain life’s responsibilities. When the pressure starts to rise, do something for yourself to stay grounded and connected to prevent or ease overwhelm or added stress.
5. Find What Works for You
You probably set goals with the best intentions of keeping them. But sometimes, your attention might shift, and those goals don’t seem as attainable. Can you create a routine around your goal setting? Does relying on technology such as an app or calendar help you stay focused? Do you have a trusted mentor, advisor, coach, or accountability buddy that you can share the journey with? Pay attention to what works for you, your motivation behind your goals, and what makes it fun.
Remember that amid all the chaos that is associated with resolutions, they can also bring the opportunity to pause and look inward. Remember what excites you about your goals and how you can dedicate yourself to reaching them. Here’s to a successful 2024!
