I am not a major fan of New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions are not commitments. They are a very loose set of things you’d like to do. However I am a big believer in using this time of year to set goals for the coming months.
The New Year is always a great time to stop and analyze your life, review the year that was, and think about what you’d like to achieve in the coming year. I came across this funny meme below on social media recently and I had to laugh. It is so true for many of us.
A Harvard Business study revealed remarkable statistics relating to goal setting and success. The study found that the 14% who have goals are 10 times more successful than those without goals. The 3% with written goals are 3 times more successful than the 14% with unwritten goals.
Yet there is just one simple thing you need to do to plan for the year, and that is simply to write them down. That basic step of committing them to paper, then keeping them in a place where you can review them, will help you achieve so much more.
In my opinion there are two types of goal setting techniques that you can use:
Type 1: SMART goals. This stands for:
Specific.
Measurable.
Attainable.
Relevant.
Time Bound.
Type 2: BHAG goals. This stands for:
Big.
Hairy.
Audacious.
Goals.
When I was younger I definitely used to fit into the Type 2 category. It sounds more like we are talking about a disease here… My goals for the year were long and exhaustive. Now I am a little older and have more to lose, they are definitely more conservative. I go for quality over quantity. I keep them in my top draw in my office and the simple step of reviewing them every day or two acts like a road map when so many seemingly urgent tasks are thrust upon me.
This year, why don’t you give it a go. I think people get intimidated by goal setting, when the reality is it is just a list of things you’d like to achieve in the year (or in the long term). It is no harder than that. Committing your thoughts to paper will keep you accountable and give you some sort of road map as you hit the middle of the year and feel like you’re being pulled in many directions. When you feel you’re losing your way, that sheet of paper will remind you of what is most important.
“Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
Proverbs 16:3
Matt Danswan is the CEO of Initiate Media, publishers of Christian Woman. He Also blogs at www.mattdanswan.com. His new book, Not Business As Usual, is due for release in March 2018.
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