Goals and Reflecting Back
With 2021 ending, let’s take a moment to reflect on what we achieved this past year. Take the time to look back on the goals you set for yourself at the close of last year, in December 2020. It is important to celebrate what you have accomplished and be proud of yourself and all that you have done!
So, did you accomplish the goals that you set for yourself? Personal goals? Professional goals? Are you pleased with your progress and what you achieved?
If you did not fully reach you objectives, don’t beat yourself up about it. Did you at least make some headway towards those goals? If not, the way you went about setting your goals may need to be reconsidered. Let’s set ourselves up for success in 2022 and ensure we accomplish our goals this coming year.
S.M.A.R.T Goals
You may have heard of S.M.A.R.T goals. The idea with this goal setting approach is that you will be S.M.A.R.T in the way you do it! If you have never heard of this acronym before, let me quickly break it down for you.
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time Sensitive
S.M.A.R.T goals are a great approach for goal planning because they give you a more detailed picture of what you want to achieve. If your goal is too vague, it can become frustrating when measuring success, as you feel like you are making no headway.
When setting a goal make sure that it meets the S.M.A.R.T guidelines. Set your goals so they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Sensitive. This will give you the tools that you need to make measurable strides as you grow in your profession and as an individual.
Write it Down
Another important consideration when setting goals, to ensure success, is to make them REAL! Don’t just think about or verbally state your goal and keep it tucked away in the back of mind. Write it down. Writing down your goals has a lot of power, by making it real in your mind. It is no longer a fleeting thought that will pass. When you write it, you say to yourself and re-enforcing in your mind that this is something you want to accomplish, and you will take the steps necessary to be successful.
Research shows you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals when you add this simple step of writing them down.
Touch Points
Great, you’ve created your goal, you’ve made it real and now it’s time to put those words into action and work on your goals. It’s important to check back-in so that you are not blind-sided at the end of the year, realizing that you did not have any success. You need to hold yourself accountable. If you don’t, then who will? Create a plan to evaluate your progress towards success. Checking in and measuring success can look different for everyone but find something that works for you.
Remember that small steps add up and accumulate to big results. Break your goal into smaller parts. Check smaller items off your checklist as you work towards your larger end goal.
Walk into 2022 with your intentions and goals set! 2022 is not going to know what hit it with the amazing plan that you have made for it!!
