Choosing the Right Goals for the New Year

I don’t know if you already know this about me but I love making lists for everything. Groceries, gift ideas, blog posts, work, hopes, dreams - you name it, and I can 99.9% guarantee you that I’ve already drafted a list for it. Ask me what kind of New Year’s resolutions I plan on accomplishing this year and I can name off at least twenty in under 5 minutes. I tend to do this most every year and have recognized something terribly awful with this strategy.

Coming up with a million and one goals, although admirable, is not only unrealistic but almost counter-productive. Anyone can make a list of goals but what about goals that actually hold value?

Originally, I had planned to post my 20+ goals for 2013 today but that was when I realized how important it is to 1) Prioritize your goals, and 2) Evaluate the value behind accomplishing that goal. As a result, I have come up with a list (go figure) of tips on how to choose the right goals that will make you happy and proud.

1. Ask yourself, ‘What have I always wanted to do but never thought was possible?’

2. Fill in the blank for the sentence below:

When I picture my life twenty years later and do not accomplish (insert goal here), then I will have major regrets. (hint: whatever goals you came up here, it’s probably really important to you and does not need to get pushed aside any longer)

3. Work backwards. Ask yourself, ‘What must I accomplish by December 31, 2013?’ and then determine the next best step (tiny goal that leads to the big goal).

Example:

Accomplishment: Publish a book for the first time ever.

Next step: If you have a friend that is a published author, set up a coffee date to pick his/her brain.

4. What area in your life needs some work and how important is that life area to you? Maybe you’re tired of the same old crowd, want more positive friends, and feel a new social network will boost your confidence. Whatever life area it may be (family, personal, health, career), if it  already has a large impact (positive or negative) on your happiness, create some goals that will improve it overall. Example: Having a strong relationship with my family members is very important to me. Some goals could be to spend at least 30 minutes on the phone with each family member, each week or creating a family photo album for each season.

5. What have you learned this past year and how can you apply it to 2013? Personally, the year 2012 taught me to not let the 'what ifs' hinder my dreams and aspirations. I plan to use this philosophy while working on my goals; essentially reminding myself that fear of failure is not a valid enough reason to not try.


I hope these tips help you create goals that make sense for you, lead you to more happiness, and most importantly, give you something to be proud of!