As we draw near to 2016, I have been pulled to reflect on the year; my achievements, my challenges; what I would do differently, my priorities – do they need to shift?
There are goals which I achieved and those which I did not. Unachievable goals were perhaps unrealistic but I am a great believer in setting high expectations. Any goals not reached are moved to the following year or taken off my list altogether if they are no longer applicable.
I am learning to be flexible and open to change. Often there is more than one route to reaching your goal, it may take longer but the important factor is you will get there!
Setting goals helps one to remain focused in a world where it can be all too easy to spread yourself thinly and make commitments without giving it much thought. When reality kicks in you realise you do not have the time or perhaps do not even want to make the time.
Some tips on setting goals;
1. Think about why – what do you hope to achieve? Whose life/lives do you wish to impact on?
2. What small steps (break it right down) do you need to make in order to achieve your goal?
3. How will you measure the achievement?
4. Revisit the goal
How often do you set goals?
organisedlady 
Ah, Phoenicia, thank you for the reminder for me to do the thing I do in between Christmas and New Year’s…look at that list from last January and see how I did! I think this year I will be kinder on myself for goal setting. Fewer goals to get done write/right!
Happy New Year!
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Rose Mary – there can be a tendency to be over optimistic but better to write too many than too few goals!
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Phoenicia, I particularly like the second part of your first question: Whose life/lives do you wish to impact on? I used a similar process to weed out my worthwhile goals and intentions! Happy New Year and look forward to more of your insights next year.
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Thanks Pat. I believe that we should continually look at how we are impacting positively on the lives of others.
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I set goals but I reassess them at least monthly.
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Monitoring progress is important otherwise it is just empty words on a piece of paper.
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I ask these same questions each January and revisit in June though I have it hanging in my office as reference. It works pretty well. I am also looking to be more flexible on how I am of service to others and what I offer on my blog. It’s a process.
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It is an ongoing process. Looking at what works and what does not.
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I can’t really say that I set concrete goals for the past year. But I did find that some areas worked well, and others did not. Maybe I’ll continue to focus on the areas that worked well. Or maybe I’ll find a new method for the ones that aren’t doing as well. In any case, you got me to think.
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Leora – pleased my blog has given you food for thought. Our goals can be revaluated along the way – nothing is set in stone.
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Personally always set goals but not new years resolutions. Evaluating my achievements and changing my goals I do on a continuous basis. Happy New Year!
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New Year’s resolutions rarely make it past the month of January. Often they are things hoped for but not planned for.
Happy New Year to you too!
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All the best for 2016 Catarina – may you succeed all you did in 2015!
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I like how you ask how you’ll measure the achievement. That is so important. It is one thing to have all these aspirations, but you need to know how you’ll know when you hit them.
I’m not making a new year resolution this year, but maybe I will fine tune my goals. Thank you for the inspiration.
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Erica – once we reach our mini goals, they will push us to move forward to the next. Some goals for 2016 will be carried over from 2015.
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