I can’t believe that another year has come to an end. It went by pretty fast considering not much happened and a lot was actually canceled due to COVID. When I look back on 2020 I feel as if so much happened, yet nothing truly happened. The end of the year means it’s time for a new year goal setting and this year is so much more important than any other year I’ve done this.
2020 wasn’t the year to get everything you wanted, it was the year to appreciate everything you had. And appreciation is exactly what I have for 2020. 2020 brought me an extended period of time at home and while it was extremely challenging in the beginning, I was able to experience some of life’s most amazing moments. Like seeing Lizzie take her first steps. If the year was normal I most likely wouldn’t have been able to see the very first steps with my own eyes. I would have caught the second or third steps, which would have been equally as amazing, but not the first.
New Year Goal Setting
Some of you might be thinking “why is she setting goals, when the future seems so uncertain?” Great question! Setting goals is even more important this year than any other year. It’s time to not lose sight of things you want to accomplish and experience in your life. The one thing I learned is that life does go on, time will tick by and you need to make the most of it, regardless of what is going on that may be out of your control. New year goal setting provides you with a bit of control when a lot of things are out of your control. You own the goals, and you own how you accomplish them.
I’m using 2020 to shape the goals I intend on making for 2021. My goals are going to be focused on the simple things in life, including experiences, personal growth and future planning for my family. My goals will be intentional and provide guidance in a time that has been so uncertain for all of us. I’m going to be using the SMART technique to set my goals this year.
Set SMART Goals
The SMART goal technique is a very simple one to follow. Let’s break it down…
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Timeline
Specific
Clearly define your goal and make it very narrow. The more direct the goal can be, the easier it will be to achieve it. For example if your goal is to get a new job make it very specific. Do you want a new job in the same industry you are currently in, are you open to a different industry or do you want to work for yourself. Get specific and get to work!
Measurable
For measurable think about metrics. If you can clearly put metrics around your goal it will be more attainable. In this case metrics can be time, dollar amounts or anything quantifiable. In the job example above, how long are you going to give yourself to get this new job? Are you going to accomplish it in 6 months or 3 months? Putting a number around it allows you to achieve it. Which is the next step!
Achievable
Is your goal realistic and achievable. It’s nice to say you are going to get a new job, but doing it in a month might not be achievable. Make sure that you provide enough time to actually meet your goal.
Relevant
Is your goal relevant to your life? It’s great to set goals, but making sure they fit into life is also important. You don’t want to waste your time achieving a goal that isn’t relevant to your life.
Timeline
The best goals are ones that have a timeline in place. Setting a timeline provides you with accountability to keep working towards your end goal. I’ll make this one easy. I hate folding the laundry, hate it! But I set mini goals, like over this next commercial break I will fold all the laundry. It’s a mini challenge to keep me on my toes and lets me get to the end goal.
Create Your SMART Goals
The hardest part of creating a SMART goal is getting started. It can be intimidating to write it down because you might not know where to start. I know I have that problem. However with my simple template you can easily write a SMART goal in a few minutes. The questions below are designed to draw out your goal. Take a look.
- My goal is to…
- I want it because…
- I know I can achieve it because…
- The time I’ll have to achieve the goal is…
- The first step I have to make towards my goal is…
- I’ll take my first step toward this goal on (day and date)…
Now that you have the framework start writing those goals! If you need some help with ideas on goals to pursue, check out my post on organizing your spending or even repairing your credit score.
So what are you going to achieve in 2021? Will you do new year goal setting? Share it with me in the comments below.
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