STEP 1: REFLECT ON THE PAST YEAR
Before you dive into the new year, take some time to think about 2023.
You’ve come a long way since last year, so give yourself the space to reflect on and celebrate what you have accomplished.
Reflection is an important part of the process. It helps you understand where you've come from and where you are now so that you can create goals accordingly.
STEP 2: TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR LIFE
Beyond thinking about your successes over the past year, take a look at the different areas of your life (career, health, family, friends, love life, etc) overall.
Which areas feel like they’re totally in flow? Which ones feel a bit out of sync? Which ones bring you the most joy? Which areas have you been avoiding? Which ones do you know, deep down that you're ready to start working on in 2024?
STEP 3: DETERMINE YOUR DESIRED FEELINGS FOR 2024
How do you want to feel this year?
Understanding the feelings and values that are important to you will help you create purposeful goals. They’ll help guide you in the coming months to determine whether or not those goals are working for you - and adjust accordingly.
Additionally, getting clear on how you want to feel will help you continue to make decisions in line with those feelings in all areas of your life and make it more apparent when a situation feels a bit off.
So, when you imagine yourself rocking 2018, how do you want to feel?
STEP 4: CREATE YOUR LIST OF GOALS
Looking at your successes from 2023 and the areas of your life you’re ready to work on, think about what you’d like to accomplish in 2024. These goals can be big or small - it’s entirely up to you.
As you write down your goals, check in with those desired feelings you just came up with and make sure that each goal you set ties into them. Why have a goal if it’s not helping you feel the way you want to feel?
STEP 5: WHAT IS YOUR WHY?
After you set a goal, write down the “why” for that particular goal.
Having a "why" for each goal can help you stay on track because it will serve as a reminder of the reason you created the goal in the first place. You won’t just be accomplishing a goal for the sake of accomplishing a goal - you’ll have a personal, meaningful reason behind it that motivates you.
STEP 6: HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE SH*T HAPPEN?
Now that you have your list, it’s time to think about how you’re going to achieve those goals.
What do you need to do to achieve each one of your goals physically? Write those action items down so you can refer to them as you work towards your goal.
For example, one of my goals for 2024 is to be a guest on 5+ podcasts. Some of my action items include researching which podcasts resonate most with me, creating my ideal list and proactively reaching out to podcast hosts.
STEP 7: SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Awesome - you’ve created some killer goals for yourself! How are you going to make sure you follow through with them?
Here’s the thing: no one is perfect. Life can understandably get in the way at times - shit happens. But, if you’re taking the time to write out 2024 goals, you want to set yourself up for success. Right?
So before you say "Okay great, I'm done with setting my goals!", think about how you're going to stay on track.
Ask yourself questions like: What methods of accountability do I respond best to? Where are good places for me to post reminders about my goals? How am I going to celebrate each goal once you achieve it? Who can help hold me accountable?
Everyone is different, so when it comes to accountability, there isn't one "right" way to stay on track.
Find what works best for you and put the right support systems in place so that you will remain motivated to accomplish what you say you want to do.
And that my friend is how to set and achieve your goals.
Now that the first quarter of 2024 is behind us, I must review where I am hitting and where I am missing, adjust, and refocus.
All the best to you in the remainder of the year.