How to Set Your Goals For 2019
Posted on January 2019 By Chris Oughton
Every year as the clock strikes midnight and glasses are clinked we’re asked the same question. What’s your New Year’s resolution? What Goals will you set in 2019?
And as sore heads ring on New Year’s Day, and the Nurofen is reached for, it’s time to sit back and think about what your perfect life looks like.
Are you looking to switch jobs or careers? Maybe achieving your goal weight? Or finally sorting your finances? Whatever your goals are, we have some nifty techniques to help you reach your goals.
Break it Down
When that hangover calms down, the goals you have been brainstorming may appear more daunting than they are. So it’s important to break down your goals into stages. Each stage should have smaller achievable goals within them.
For example, wanting to lose 10kg’s can seem like a mammoth task, especially as UberEats is on its way! But breaking it down to more achievable goals, such as losing under 1kg a month is more palatable. It also can allow for the odd month where you may not achieve the goal but can make up for it in other months. This technique can be used on any long term goal. It’s all about taking a small, bite-sized approach.
Fall in love with the Journey
Your goals will not be achieved overnight I am afraid. Unless you win the lottery your financial target will take time, planning and work.
You need to love the process of saving money each month, or becoming frugal in your weekly shop or finding new inexpensive places for date night. Love the process of saving money and watching it slowly grow each week until you reach your goal. If the goal at the end of your target is a 3 month holiday or a new house or paying off the mortgage, then this will motivate you to keep going. Remember, it takes time to reach your goal, but if you enjoy the process, it’ll make it less challenging.
SMART Goals
It’s not a blog on goals if SMART isn’t mentioned! Sorry folks but this are and always will be an excellent way of specifically mapping out your intentions for the year and keeping yourself accountable. Accountability to key to reaching any goal!
• Specific – Be specific with your goal. There’s no point in having a general goal with no true meaning
• Measurable – What will you see, hear or feel when you reach the goal. How can it be measured?
• Achievable – There’s no point making a goal like, ‘Be Prime Minister’ if it’s no obtainable for you
• Relevant – Is the goal relevant to you? Does it suit your personality?
• Time-Based – You need deadlines to make goals happen so set some timeframes.
The SMART goals mentality gets your mind into the right mentality to start tracking and achieving your goals.
And finally…
Small Wins
As previously mentioned, ENJOY THE JOURNEY not just the destination – take the time to celebrate the small wins. If you are looking at getting a new role, celebrate the fact you may have updated your CV, or started from scratch and created a new one tailored for your new career. Celebrate if you have networked, or found a new person to LinkedIn with, or simply applied for a role online. Be proud of every small achievement. It’s getting you one step closer to your big dream.
So here’s to a New Year, and more importantly a new YOU!
What goals have you set for 2019?