2024 is just around the corner, and with that comes New Year's resolutions. Unfortunately, this also means that most people are setting resolutions that they don't actually follow through with. That's why it's so important to set goals for 2024 instead. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to actually achieve the goals that you want to.
1. REFLECT ON EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE
You might want to reflect on all areas of your life and decide which ones you want to improve. For instance, you might examine parts of your life such as health, finances, relationships, etcetera. Then, you could consider specific ways to improve each area that is lacking.
For example, you might want to do more aerobic exercise. If so, you could plan to take a jog every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for thirty minutes. This simple improvement could potentially make a world of difference in your life.
2. USE THE SMART ACRONYM TO SET YOUR GOALS
The SMART acronym stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. If you set specific goals, it is much easier to actually achieve them. For instance, you could say that you want to save more money, or you could plan to save exactly $5 per month.
You will also want your goals to be measurable, meaning that they shouldn't be overly vague. For example, you might plan to exercise for 30 minutes every Friday by taking a jog instead of simply saying you want to do more aerobic activity.
Your goals should be achievable: Maybe it is not realistic for you to plan to do five hour-long jogs per week, but perhaps it is doable for you to do 15 minutes of aerobic exercise on Monday and Wednesday. In short, it's important to set goals that you can tackle without too much of a hassle.
It's essential that you set relevant goals. If you are doing great financially but want to have more friends, for instance, it might be pertinent to plan to attend a social event or two per week. This goal is very relevant to your life, and achievable even if you struggle with some level of social anxiety.
Your goals should be time-bound. For example, you might want to write a screenplay. If you give yourself a year to finish it, this puts just enough pressure on you for you to actually complete it. You can plan to pen a certain amount of words per day in order to reach your goal and feel that sense of satisfaction when 2025 comes around.
3. PUT YOUR GOALS WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM
Sometimes, goals seem more tangible if you look at them every single day. That's why you might want to place some post-it notes on your fridge or create a vision board that you can view on your wall. Whatever you decide to do, it's almost essential to have these goals where you can view them. If you don't, it can be all too easy to forget what you planned to work on in the new year.
4. BE FLEXIBLE
Sometimes, we have an off-day or simply need more rest due to an unexpected urgency we have to attend to. Please don't be too hard on yourself: If something unexpected comes up, it's essential to give yourself a break.
For instance, you might be prioritizing a healthy lifestyle and be invited to a birthday party even though you've decided to minimize—or even eliminate—sugar in the new year. If this is the case, it's okay to enjoy that piece of cake without all of that negative internal dialogue that we all suffer from occasionally.
Happy 2024 to all. We hope that you have a wonderful new year and complete all of your goals!
