We know that you can set goals at any time of the year, but there is something about the beginning of the year that kicks goal-setting into high gear. Unfortunately, most so-called “resolutions” are out the window by February or March due to feeling overwhelmed, the excitement of the beginning of the year fizzling out, or life settling in and taking over. This year, we want to challenge you to put aside the large and sometimes intimidating goals, and instead set smaller, actionable tasks to help you stay focused, on track, and excited throughout the year.
Break it up
Let’s dive into why setting smaller goals may be your key to not forgetting about your new year resolutions before March. Larger goals can be a bit intimidating, and while the end is insight, you may not know exactly what to do to get there. Setting small weekly goals might help with this. If your end goal is a promotion, set the goal of meeting with your boss once a week to speak about your current projects and where you can improve. If your end goal is to be a morning person, set your alarm 15 minutes earlier each week. Creating smaller goals will make the larger goal easier to tackle so you don’t burn yourself out the first month.
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MAKE THE TIME
We’re starting out our goal setting list with time management. Setting aside the time to not only achieve your goals but to actually set them is the first priority. As with most things, reaching your goals take time. Whether that means waking up an extra hour to hit the gym, taking a class to boost your AI skills, or taking 10 minutes out of your day to meditate, making the time to execute your goals will help hold you accountable. Along with this, smaller goals allow you to meet your deadlines without feeling overwhelmed. We recommend coming up with a schedule for yourself, whether it’s weekly or monthly, so you don’t wake up one day in December and realize you have just a couple weeks left to learn to code before it's 2025.
EMBRACE Accountability
Do you hold yourself accountable? Reach out to a friend or member of your professional network and set a goal or two together, or share your end goal with them, and let them know that you want them to hold you to it, whether that means helping you achieve small goals weekly while you work up to it, or just reminding you what you set your mind to. Call them your personal accountability coach and give them permission to keep you on track. Our phones are also a great way to help keep us accountable, from setting reminders to calendar invites for months in advance, or downloading an app that can help you stay on track.
This post was updated on January 15, 2024.
