Make your dreams come true: The power of goals

In the quiet embrace of the first days of the year, I find myself in my usual ritual: meticulously jotting down the goals that will weave the fabric of my journey in the coming months. It's a personal pilgrimage, a moment of reflection. As I navigate the pathways of my aspirations, I’know I’m setting the compass that will guide me towards a year of purpose and achievement.

I wish it were true! Unfortunately, life is not that simple. Most mortals jump directly from well deserved - but too short - vacations, directly into the busyness of our daily lives. Still, roughly 75% of the adult population start the year with some resolutions.

So, do you merely have resolutions that will silently vanish as the year unfolds, or have you crafted a set of goals that will shape your journey? Have you taken a moment to write down your goals? Do you revisit them with regularity?

In the labyrinth of life, not knowing your destination might mean never arriving. To truly achieve impactful milestones and avoid losing them along the way, we require a robust system for defining, pursuing, and monitoring our goals. This holds especially true if you're caught in the whirlwind of busyness, driven by the permanent flow of urgent matters.

A goal is more than a mere wish; it's an aspirational commitment to deliver within the coming year. The timeframe, ideally a year, allows for meaningful impact without providing too much leeway for procrastination. To make goals effective, they should adhere to the famous SMART criteria: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Taking time to capture each goal in a concise, action-oriented sentence, sets the tone for the journey ahead.

Crafting your goals is just the beginning; recording them is equally crucial. Whether through purpose-built apps, your favorite task management tool, or more generalist programs like Notion, Trello,… Or, if you want to keep it simple and non digital, you can just use a set of index cards. The key is to make them tangible. Your goals should span the various facets of your life, striking a balance across your various roles and responsibilities. While some may focus on a small number, less than five goals, aiming for depth, a comprehensive approach might lead to 10 to 20 goals for the year.

Take one “index card” per goal, with its title representing a destination. This visual aid not only keeps you organized but also prompts you to link each goal to the area of life it enhances.

Moving beyond surface-level, dive into each goal with a set of probing questions:

• Why is this goal important? Connect it to your values and long-term vision, solidifying its priority status. It also increases your motivation to deliver on this goal when you will read this card in the future.
• What does success look like? Define the expected outcome, and if possible, quantify it.
• How will you achieve it? Outline key actions, resources, and skills needed for success.
• When will you declare success? Note any specific completion dates or milestones.

Good! You now possess a stack of cards representing your aspirations for the coming months. However, the power lies not in the creation but in the consistent reflection. Regularly revisit your goals—weekly, when you take time to think about your priorities for the next week or month (Do you?) or just picking a few of them from times to times.

And that’s it? Unfortunately not. Remember, "Goals with no plans are just dreams," as Antoine de St Exupéry wisely said. It's time to flip those index cards and write a plan. Establishing habits for ongoing goals (better diet) or building projects to deliver specific aspirations (move to a new house).

Now you have more than goals; you have a roadmap. Your monthly, weekly, and daily priorities gain clarity, increasing your likelihood of success. Progress tracking becomes a routine, and achieving expected outcomes relies on your ability to solidify habits and propel projects forward. Your success is no longer a matter of chance; it's a narrative shaped by your dedication and determination.

Admittedly, this may seem like a tedious, almost theoretical endeavor. Yet, it's an exercise I've done repeatedly, and each time, the experience has been transformative. As you invest your focus and energy into articulating your goals, your priorities take on a new clarity, and unexpected ideas emerge from the process. I've found that routinely revisiting my list of goals, at least once a month in my case, serves as a powerful catalyst. It propels me to advance, tackling pending tasks and steering towards my aspirations. And at the end of the year, you can see that your meticulously crafted (SMART) dreams have indeed become a reality.