Will 2024 Be Your Best Year Yet?

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Do you want 2024 to be your best year yet? I know I do.

I was first introduced to the idea of creating my best year yet by the first business coach that I had hired many years ago, learning a process from the book of the same name, Your Best Year Yet! by Jinny Ditzler. Since then, over the years, I have developed my own process honed from my own experiences and influenced by other coaches and mentors along the way.?

The thing about goals is that they can be modified and tweaked as you get more clarity about what you most want to accomplish in the coming year.? Some are more long-term (beyond the current year), and some are shorter in duration, say over three months.?

So today, I will share with you the process I use for setting future goals and one I share with my clients so they can have their best year yet.? It’s a process of self-reflection, asking yourself the right questions, and choosing your path forward.

A Time for Self-Reflection

Take time to reflect on this past year before planning the year ahead. This process can take some time (usually 3-4 hours), so give yourself enough time. You don’t want to rush the process.

The process should include all aspects of your life, not just business goals.? (You are more than just a leader in your company or organization). So don’t forget about other parts of you that make you who you are.?

It's also important to note that as you go through this process, acknowledge yourself for what you accomplished in 2023. You may be surprised by how much you achieved.

First, start with your destination.? Without a destination on your journey, how will you know where you are going? This is the long view. What is your vision for yourself five, ten, or more years into the future? Who do you need to be now to achieve your vision?? What are your highest aspirations?

Second, what are your most important values?? Along the way, who do you want to be?

Third, take some time to reflect on the past year.? Some key questions here are:

• What did I set out to do this past year that I accomplished? (Note: Acknowledge yourself here. You may be surprised by how much you achieved.)
• What did I set out to accomplish that fell short? (Note: Avoid dwelling on this part. Be honest but don't focus on the gap. I recommend you spend more energy on the first bullet point.)
• What is my most important learning to carry forward?
• What do I want to leave behind?
• What is new that I want to embrace?

Next, consider the different aspects of your life.? I like to keep it simple.? Here are my suggestions for areas of focus:

• Health & Fitness;
• Work/Career;
• Financial;
• Community/Contribution;
• Personal Development;
• Recreation/ Free time;
• and Relationships.

Self-Assessment

Here you want to do a self-assessment on how you feel about each of these areas using a scale of 1-10, 10 being extremely satisfied.? Going forward, you will want to focus on the areas where you are least satisfied.

Your Best Self

When are you at your best?? What gives you the most joy, and how can you have more of it? These questions speak to your highest aspirations.?

What is your theme for 2024?? This is a process that is focused on your aspirational self for the next 12 months.? If you could choose a word or two that represents your theme for how you want 2024 to go, what word(s) would you choose??Choose a word or two that is inspiring.

Your Personal Strategic Plans

The last segment is where you begin to get granular in thinking about your long-term goals and short-term goals.? This is the area where you employ S.M.A.R.T. goals.? You know, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based goals.?

Our brains respond to specificity, so the more specific and measurable the goal, the more likely you are to achieve it.?? I caution you to use restraint as you think about the goals you want to focus on for this year.?

The goal here is not to have multiple goals for each area of your life.?If you try to do so, you likely won’t accomplish much. I recommend that you keep to three to five goals and no more (in total). (There is only so much time in a day, and your calendar is overflowing already).

These are your strategic plans for each goal, with action items, timeframes, and a checklist for tracking your progress.? Then, keeping your focus on the year ahead, break down your goal metrics into 12 months, six months, and three months out.??

Note: A tool I use is the BestSelf Journal, which helps you to break down your goals in 13-week increments.? This is useful for staying focused quarterly once you have decided on your overall goals for the year and compliments the work you’ve done so far to this point in setting your goals.

The End Result

You deserve to make time to focus on yourself and your aspirations.? The process will help give you more clarity and even more confidence as you begin to take action and achieve some results.

Making commitments to yourself and keeping them is very empowering and a process that will help you to be at your best. The time you spend will be well spent, and by this time next year, you can look back on all you’ve achieved.

Until next time!

Want to learn more? Book a call with me here.

Leading in uncertain and complex times is challenging. What separates good leaders from great ones is the 'inner game' or mindset of leadership. CEO Sensei, former BDO managing partner, and martial arts blackbelt John Fenton is one of the few who address this critical aspect of leading well. John's unique methodology brings clarity, pragmatism, and encouragement to managing partners, board executives, and CEOs today. He is an award-winning speaker, a heart attack survivor, and the author of the bestselling book, "5 Minute Mastery?, The Surprising Secrets for Transforming Your Stress to Success and Mastering What’s Important."