“Wait, what? You mean to say I shouldn’t be setting New Year’s resolutions?”
Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? As we end each year, it’s common practice to begin thinking about the changes you want to make next year. You’re going to lose 50 pounds by March, write a book, stop drinking coffee…the list goes on and on. Don’t get me wrong, aiming to improve yourself is an excellent endeavor. The problem is the outlandish lists that we make only set us up for failure and disappointment. There is no plan, no steps, and more than likely, you give up by January 12th.
But all hope is not lost! Just because you should ditch the traditional New Year’s resolution list does not mean that you should abandon goal planning. Read on to discover the best way to knock out your 2021 goals and put yourself on the pathway to success.
Create Attainable Goals
I hate to be frank, but more than likely, you are not going to go (and stay!) vegan immediately. You probably won’t run a marathon if you’ve never run more than 2 miles at a time either. These goals are huge, complete changes from your current lifestyle. And let’s face it, it’s really easy to say something, it’s hard to do it. What you can do, however, is set up attainable goals for YOU.
Any goal you set needs to be achievable for you. Not your spouse, not your friend, for you. If you want to eventually go vegan, start incorporating 2 vegan dinners per week into your meal plan. If that’s too much, try out one per week. Start going running for 20 minutes and build up to 30 minutes. Start very, very small with goals that you know you can handle. If they seem too simple and manageable, they’re probably perfect. There’s always time to increase your goals. The key is picking attainable, simple goals that can keep consistency.
Create a Plan
Just like pilots need to know how to follow their planned route while flying to a destination, you need to have a plan of action for how you’re going to attain your goals. Planning to write a book? Schedule it in that 4 days per week at lunch, you’re going to write half a page. It doesn’t matter if the writing is subpar that day or you have writer’s block, you’re going to stay consistent and write something down.
Don’t overdo yourself and expect something to happen every day. That’s a quick and easy way to lead to burn out. But pick your days, pick your times, and stay consistent with what you’ve set out to do.
Create Metrics
You know how your boss is always asking for customer counts, revenue amounts, or quarterly statistics? It’s because to measure success, we must see where we are in comparison to where we’ve been. Create measurable milestones that show you the progress that you’ve made. Design a spreadsheet where you mark down every time you complete your mile for the day and how fast you ran. Track your water drinking by using one of the dozens of available apps. Not only do metrics show you your progress, but they can assist you when staying motivated gets difficult.
The key to successful goal setting and achieving is the planning process. Instead of setting yourself for failure and being disappointed by April, set yourself up for success with these three guidelines. December 2021 looks better already.
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About Debi
Debi is a coach to high performers, leaders and business owners wanting to achieve more and grow beyond what they believe is possible. Known for her clarifying insight and a pragmatic approach, Debi brings her clients to the next step by asking the right questions during strategy development and supporting them during strategy implementation. With experience in management, recruitment and employee development for various industries, she has a wide scope of expertise and will confidently guide you towards a successful future in your career.
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