Admit it, do you write down your wishes on a piece of paper so that you can burn it and dissolve it in a glass at the New Year's chimes? If yes, then we suggest a more realistic way to plan your year, so that all your wishes in the new year will come true. In the last days of the year it is customary to summarize and set goals for the coming year. Let's talk about it in our article.
The reading time is 5 minutes.
- Why you should set goals for the year
- Can we not write it down?
- How many targets will be enough?
- Three factors in goal setting
- Which areas to focus on
Why set goals?
If you've ever set a global goal and achieved it, you've felt incredible emotions and satisfaction at the end of the day. What if you set yourself not just one goal, but several (different in difficulty) and imagine how you will achieve them over the course of a year? That way, you won't be floating downstream with everyone else, but you'll be able to map out where you want to go by the end of the year. Having a plan, you will be able to check with the map to see if you are moving in the right direction.
A person gets used to doing the same things for years, if global changes in the world do not affect him personally. Therefore, a list of goals is an opportunity to review all areas of your life and realize what can be discarded and what can be improved. Moreover, to see how to achieve it.
Another important point - when setting a goal, ask yourself the question "To do what?". For example, I want to lose weight by 15 kg in a year. And immediately continue "to lose weight in order to... improve my health - no more back pain, no more shortness of breath and swelling, to like myself in the mirror, to feel more confident in society, etc.".
Seeing the end result that awaits you will make the process easier, and less of a desire to drop everything.
Why is it important to write it down rather than keep it in your head?
Millions of people at the end of the year set goals and make promises for the next year. But only a few people remember what they planned a couple of months later. The rest continue to dream and do nothing.
First of all, our memory is so organized that new events are constantly superimposed on it. And what we were thinking about a week ago may "slip our minds". But you can easily go back to everything written and refresh your memory.
Second, writing down your goals means developing self-discipline. You can always check the list - cross off what has already been done or has become irrelevant, or add new goals to it.
After all, you can make a handy list with sections by areas of your life and a calendar of when you plan to do what you set out to do.
How many goals to set?
It all depends on the areas of life that you want to pay more attention to this year. We will consider the spheres below. For example, in the sphere of health you can set 2-3 goals, in the sphere of personal relationships - 2, and a few more goals in other spheres. And calculate how much you have achieved.
It's okay if by the end of the year you haven't achieved 100 percent of your goals. The main thing is that you will be able to evaluate what you did NOT achieve and analyze why. In this way, you will be able to prescribe ways to achieve them in the next cycle.
Or maybe they weren't fulfilled because they weren't really that important? And you just wrote them in for more? Be honest with yourself, because no one but yourself will check this list.
What is the right way to set goals?
- Specifics. Many sources with a list of goals include ideas such as "I want to go skydiving", "Start seeing a psychologist", etc. Think again, does this apply to your goals? Or is it just the way everyone writes it and you should too? Of course, if you've actually dreamed of skydiving for a long time, put it in your plans. But specify more specifically, for example, "I want to make a parachute jump on my birthday, on vacation in Thailand". This way, you outline the time and place where and when you can realize your dream. Plus outline another goal - "Go on vacation to Thailand this year." But in this case, also spell out what time of year/month and with whom you will go on vacation to make this goal measurable.
- Stages. "Eat the elephant in pieces", i.e. break a big goal into small segments. For example, have you planned an expensive trip and are frustrated that it's not feasible? Refer to your financial goals and start saving for your dream every day. If you calculate how much you spend per month on the little things you can give up, you can put that money aside to pay for the trip.
- Corrections. If during the year your plans change and some of your goals become irrelevant, it is normal. People are not robots and cannot predict everything in advance. Feel free to remove retired goals from your list and add new ones. Don't forget to be specific and ask the question "to do what?".
What areas of life are worth paying attention to
So, we've talked about how to set goals, let's move directly to the areas of life.
When making your list, put a due date or approximate season/month when you think this goal should be accomplished.
- Health. Think of all the things that are bothering you - teeth, skin, hair, joints. Plan a trip to the doctors, sign up/renew your gym membership. Don't forget to get at least 8 hours of healthy sleep.
Important: When making plans, remember to include family members who depend on you, such as children or elderly relatives. If you are in charge of their lives, include their medical appointments or surgeries and sports activities in your goals.
- Family or Relationship. Analyze what is bothering you - for example, difficult relationships with teenage children, lack of privacy (if this is a problem and you want to fix it), strained relationships with your partner. Write down what you want them to be ideally for you. Also indicate how you will look for a solution - talk in person, search for information on the Internet or seek help from a psychologist. Most importantly, outline how you will address the issues.
- Work and Finance. Evaluate your relationships with your coworkers and superiors to see what you are missing. For example, what is stopping you from earning more at this job or whether you should change jobs. Lay out your budget and investment opportunities. If you're struggling, schedule a consultation with a financial advisor to highlight areas for growth.
- Household chores. What you plan to do this year. Perhaps buy real estate, make repairs, start gardening, make major purchases for your home or home improvement. Learn to cook new dishes/transition all family members to a healthy diet, start sorting the trash, and so on.
- Own development. Remember what you kept putting off and not finding time for yourself. For example, learn to skate/bike/snowboard or read 1 book a week. Maybe start learning a new foreign language, enroll in financial literacy/professional development classes. Or maybe find the money and time to see a psychologist to figure out what's stalling your development.
- Hobbies and hobbies. Analyze everything that you would like to try or that you didn't have time for in the past year. For example, to go to courses or master classes. Or buy instruments and literature for your creativity, go to exhibitions, concerts of your favorite musicians and so on
- Vacation. Have you been hesitant to take your dream trip for a long time? Plan your vacation in advance - calculate what finances you'll need, find out about documents and medical requirements. Start saving. Or plan short trips to places you haven't been yet. Check to see if you need to renew your documents for overseas travel. It would be a shame to find out at the last minute if your trip is canceled because of an expired passport or visa.
We hope the coming year will be a good one for you in all areas of life. If you want to summarize the year with your child, check out our article:
30 questions to ask your child at the end of the year
Also, don't forget to schedule Russian language classes for your children at Palme School. In this article we go into detail, Why is the annual rate steeper than monthly subscriptions?
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