Setting Goals for the New Year That You Will Actually Accomplish
As a self-proclaimed optimist I always look forward to setting goals for the new year and fully believe that whatever resolution I proclaim for myself I will actually accomplish. Each year I have abandoned my resolution by February and feel a sense of failure. When January rolls back around, I resort to my optimistic self and am ready for my next resolution that I will actually accomplish this time… right?
Wrong. I wasn’t actually able to successfully accomplish a New Year’s resolution until I learned how to set appropriate goals, created a plan to hold myself accountable, and rewarded myself along the way. I will provide you with the steps that I took towards accomplishing my goals so that you can also feel the same sense of accomplishment.
Setting Goals for the New Year
Having a sense of motivation and desire to better yourself is the first step to this whole process. As a college student, it can be hard to put extra energy into tasks that aren’t academic-related. But, by reading this article, you are already exhibiting signs of motivation so you’re half way there! Being aware and creating goals that aligned with my college lifestyle helped me feel more inclined to follow through with them.
1. Reflecting Before You Set
When setting goals for the new year, it is important to reflect on what is really important to you. Setting a goal should be outcome focused, so think backwards and ask yourself these questions:
At the end of the year what do I want to be different?
How do I want to feel by the end of the year?
What parts of myself am I ready to outgrow?
What already feels right in my life that I want to carry forward?
Practicing introspection helps me understand myself better and unlock new concepts for who I want to become. Envisioning the end goal and how it will affect your life also helps build motivation and ambition. Journing is a great start to reflection.
2. Make them Measurable
Once you decide on a rough outline of who you want to become or changes in your life that you want to see, it’s time to set a goal. People, including myself, often get stuck in goals that are either too broad or so ambitious that they are unattainable. It is also important not to set too many goals. Following through on two goals is more attainable than seven goals. Make your goals measurable so that you can track progress. Create goals that have time limits. This way you can ensure that you will stay on track.
Instead of setting the goal: “I want to journal more this year.” Reframe the goal to: “I want to journal 5 times a week.” Throughout the week you can be certain if you did or did not stay on track with your goal. Now you have a way to track if you are accomplishing your goal instead of it being unclear and feeling ambiguous.
3. Break Down & Revise
Setting a goal to accomplish by the end of the year creates a timeline that feels way too long and concrete. In order to stay on track, it is important to create checkpoints throughout the year to check in. This changes a goal from being “I want to lose 30 pounds by the end of the year” to being “I want to go to the gym two times a week throughout February." After setting this smaller goal, you can check your progress and strategize your habits as needed. If you are not making enough progress, you can change the goal checkpoint to “I want to go to the gym four times a week through April.” Not all New Year’s resolutions that are set are perfect, revising goals throughout the year is necessary for success. As you move forward, celebrate as you accomplish your set milestones! Keep goal setting fun and exciting.
Track and Reflect
Once goals are set, I find that the only way I end up following through with a goal is if I put pen to paper and actually track my progress. Tracking progress also includes documenting thought processes, struggles, failures, and wins. Writing down thoughts makes them seem more real and therefore, needed in the process of goal setting. Using a journal can become a part of your goal journey and an important step in making progress. You can also use a calendar to have a daily reminder to track your progress. Find the tracking method that works best for you. If you care a lot about aesthetics, make your tracking highly visual and appealing to you. If you are someone who is ultra-organized, track your goals using tabs and color coding. Goal setting is not a one-size-fits-all activity. Keep these steps in mind when tracking your goals:
Choose your preferred tracking method (print or digital)
Celebrate your small wins along the way
Build Steady Progress
Accountability & Community
Using a tracker definitely helps build accountability. But, creating a community or an accountability buddy works well in tandem with those materials. Find a friend and embark on your resolutions together. Chatting out loud about progress, struggles, and wins makes the process even more fulfilling. Are you both killing it? Go treat yourselves! If you are both struggling, talk it out and motivate each other. I have found myself happier and more productive when I have my friends by my side. No one is perfect and nobody wants to feel alone in their journey.
Setting goals for the new year is a daunting yet fulfilling task. Understanding the importance of looking back on your habits before moving forward is an important step in setting the appropriate groundwork for the year ahead. Create some fun for yourself along the journey of your new year’s resolutions. Bring along a friend, reward yourself, and romanticize your good habits to see how it will change your resolutions.
