With the new year upon us, it’s time for people to start setting goals about what they’ll do or accomplish during the next year of life. But sadly, many people’s goals or resolutions won’t get accomplished simply because they either didn’t set the right goal or didn’t put the right plan in place to reach their goal.
To help ensure that you don’t fall victim to these mistakes, here are three tips for setting goals for the upcoming year.
Take Baby Steps Toward Your Goal
Oftentimes, the goals people set for themselves at the beginning of the year are very vague and lofty. And while accomplishing this big goal might be your ideal, it usually takes a lot of smaller goals until you can reach this big goal.
To help you get to your ultimate goal, Elizabeth Scott, a contributor to Very Well Fit, recommends that you make baby step goals toward your big goal. For example, if you’re wanting to create a better relationship with your family members, set smaller goals that might include monthly visits to your grandparents in their assisted living facility, weekly phone calls to your parents or siblings, or sending quarterly update emails to other extended family members. By setting these smaller goals, you’ll work toward accomplishing your bigger goal in a more palatable way.
Make Your Goal Visible
Once you’ve set the goal or goals that you’re going to be working toward this year, it’s time to make your goals visible so that you are able to keep them in the forefront of your mind throughout the entire year.
One way to do this, according to Malika Boyd, a contributor to LifeHack.org, is to write your goal down and place it somewhere that you see everyday or multiple times a day. Then, each time you see your goal, you’ll be reminded of what you want to accomplish so that you don’t get halfway into the year without thinking about your goal again.
Get The Support You Need
Accomplishing new goals isn’t always easy. And while you might have the motivation to reach your goal now, you will likely find yourself wavering at one point or another.
To help keep you on the right course, it’s good to find the support you need to lean on when you don’t have the strength to carry yourself on all by yourself. Leslie Truex, a contributor to The Balance Small Business, shares that you should try to find someone that can serve as a mentor, coach, or even just an accountability partner for your goal. Ideally, this person should be able to give you guidance and advice when you most need it.
If you’re working on setting goals for the upcoming year, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you with this.