The Art Of Goal-Setting
Do you have a list of resolutions, goals, changes you hope to implement in 2024? If so, I see you! There is nothing I love more than the clean slate a new year offers. Give me all the fresh, untouched planners, journals, and goal-setting guides. I almost always have a handful of resolutions written down (and likely color-coded), by the time the ball drops on New Year’s Eve. However, the types of goals that make up my New Year’s resolutions list have changed substantially the older I’ve gotten. I suppose that might seem obvious, but let me elaborate.
There is a true art to goal-setting, whether you’re brainstorming possible resolutions simply because the calendar says it’s almost January, or contemplating how best to achieve a specific aspiration. Maybe you’re starting a new business, or working through a personal trauma. There are a plethora of reasons why you might be goal-setting. But, the important thing to remember is there are no rules. Your goals need to work for you. They should fit your personality and honor what is realistic for your life. You do not have to make a resolution to join the gym and commit to going five days a week simply because that is what everyone on social media is doing. Maybe you’re in a season where you can’t afford a gym membership, or where your health doesn’t allow for a rigorous workout five times each week. I use the example of working out because it seems to be an activity on almost every resolutions list. But, the same goes for anything really. Yes, a goal should certainly stretch you. But, it should also be something that truly makes sense based on what you hope to achieve and that is realistic in your current season of life. For example, as much as I would love to put “run 5 miles a day” on my list of resolutions for 2024 that is not something that a) I’m physically capable of at this point, and b) I see myself committing to for the next 12 months.
You know yourself better than anyone else. So, as you think about the goals you want to set for the upcoming year, be sure to ask yourself, “Is this something I really want?” “While it may not be easy or comfortable (which is okay, good even), is it realistic based on my personality, lifestyle, schedule, etc.?” “Is this goal something that is going to contribute to my big picture? If not…am I sure I want to make this a goal right now?” There is nothing more disappointing than an unmet goal. And, while you won’t meet every goal every year, you can spare yourself a lot of guilt and frustration by really thinking through the goals you set in the first place. Please hear me, I’m not saying you should only set easy goals, that you won’t have to work hard to achieve. I just think it’s important to set goals that make sense for you in the season you’re in.
One way that I like to make a goal feel more manageable is by setting mini goals. This year I made a list of both personal and professional goals for the year, and then went through month by month and set mini goals that will ultimately help me meet my yearly goals. By doing this, I was able to set broader yearly goals, made up of more specific mini goals. This allows my yearly goals to serve as more of an umbrella or general concept, under which multiple mini goals can fall. Breaking down your goals not only makes them feel more manageable, but it allows you to explore more than one way to accomplish them.
Goal-setting may feel a lot like pruning. You might start with a long list of goals, which you narrow down to a core group reflecting your top priorities for this season. Weed out those goals that don’t make sense right now. Maybe there will be a place for them another year down the road. Remember that you can’t do everything at all once. So, handpick what is most important to you for the upcoming year, and leave the rest for future you to sort through.
It’s also okay to change, or edit, your goals throughout the year. What makes sense in January, might not make sense in June. Something that seems like a great idea at the start of the year, might not end being what you want or need to focus on by the time spring flowers are starting to bloom. That’s okay. There is no rule that you can’t tweak your resolutions list as you grow and unforeseen circumstances arise. That’s the beauty of a resolution - you get to decide what works and what doesn’t. Nothing is set in stone. That perfect, color-coded list might look a little different by the end of the year, complete with scribbles, crossed out goals, and maybe even a tear or two. That’s okay. Life is messy.
As you finalize your 2024 goals, I hope you feel inspired and at peace with the direction you’re headed this year. Here we go!
-D
