New Year, New Opportunities

New Year, New You?

We’ve entered into a new year and many have decided their new year resolutions or set goals for themselves. Others have distanced themselves from goal-setting at the beginning of the year and are asking themselves: ‘Why should I plan in this time of uncertainty when things aren’t going to plan anyways?’.

So should you create goals for yourself? Why or why not?

And if goal setting is the way to go, how do we go about it effectively? Let’s find out!

What Do Goals Do For You?

We live in a world where things are rapidly changing. Nothing’s certain. Things seem to be out of our control. An air of hopeless seems to surround the future.

Creating goals for ourselves- something to look forward to- not only gives us a sense of control but also makes us more hopeful and optimistic for what’s to come.

What if things turn out better than you could have ever imagined?

Goals give us purpose- something meaningful to strive for.

What future do you desire to create for yourself?

Looking Back

Before we venture into creating goals for our self, let’s take a moment to reflect. What are your key learnings from 2021? What went well for you and what didn’t? What would you like to do differently moving forward?

The Origin Of Your Goal Creation

Have you set goals for yourself on a New Year but didn’t follow through? We’ve all been guilty of that!

Why might that be? Chances are that the goal we set for ourselves didn’t come from within us.

The pressure that comes from the buzz of setting resolutions on New Year can make us set goals for ourselves that aren’t coming from within. We might end up setting goals, that don’t truly mean something to us, just for the sake of it!

Ask yourself these questions honestly. And let your intuition guide you.

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

Oprah Winfrey

Magic Word For The Year

Choose your own keyword(s) for 2022. Something you want to focus on. A theme that you personally want to introduce to your year.

It could be anything such as, explore, clarity, healing, rising etc.

SMART Goals?

Setting SMART goals can be an effective goal-setting technique but you don’t necessarily have to follow it. Your goals don’t necessarily have to be time bound or measurable.

Let me assure you that it’s okay to have a goal such as ‘I want to have more fun!’ or ‘I’d like to take better care of myself this year’.

How Can You Avoid Overwhelm?

You might be motivated to transform your entire life. And it’s great to be ambitious but taking on a lot at a time can be overwhelming. So why not, prevent becoming overwhelmed by prioritising?

Prioritise what it is that’s most important to you and begin with that.

Motivation

Your ‘Why’

Why do you want to achieve a certain goal? What is the purpose behind it?

Your ‘Why’, which is the purpose behind your pursuit, is the greatest force that will propel you forward!

Reservoir Of Tools

To keep you motivated, have your own personal reservoir of tools that motivate you. It could be your own personal affirmations or a specific song that motivates you. You can then use these tools to motivate yourself when you need it.

Your Plan Of Action

Okay, so let’s say you’ve created a goal that aligns with what you truly desire. Now how do we cross the bridge from where you stand right now to the point where you aim to reach?

This is where your plan of action comes in.

Essentially, what steps will you take? Break it down for yourself into actionable steps. It’ll help you stay on track.

“When you set a goal, your brain opens up a task list.”

Mel Robbins

Another tool that’ll help you stay on track are monthly/weekly reviews. Weekly or monthly reviews are an opportunity for you to direct your life intentionally.

(It’s an opportunity to look at the past week, reflect on what went well, what could be improved and then plan ahead.)