New Year, New Goals: A Simple Plan for Achieving Your Goals (Pt 1)

As the New Year approaches … will you take the time to reflect on the past year? Make resolutions for the new year? Create a plan to achieve the goals? Often, people set new goals in January, feeling all pumped up and excited to achieve them—however, research shows that as time passes, they completely forget about them or abandon them altogether.

If you relate, you're not alone in being unable to make your goals stick. More than three-fourths of Americans who make New Year's resolutions fail by the beginning of February. That is a pretty? dismal statistic —and one that can be attributed to a number of different factors.

It's no wonder that we struggle with our resolutions—setting them is not as easy as it sounds. When you think about how hard it is to change your habits and behaviors, it makes sense that one month into the new year, most of us have already fallen back into old habits.

The problem is in how we set goals. So instead of setting a goal and hoping it happens (and then feeling guilty about it when it doesn't), let's look at some ways to make goals achievable:

Make a SMART action plan: It can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of setting a goal, but if you don't map out how you'll actually accomplish it, chances are it will end up falling by the wayside. Think about exactly how you're going to achieve this goal and write down a step-by-step plan for yourself so you have it handy when temptation strikes. Sometimes it can be hard to see the forest for the trees when it comes to setting goals.? By writing down exactly what success looks like and how to get there, we get that needed spring in our step and guidance to keep us on track.

SMART action plans help us stay focused on our goals by making sure we don't lose sight of what we're working toward and why it matters so much. That way when life gets busy (and it will), we won't lose focus. For example, if you're a small business owner who wants more revenue, then one goal might be "Increase sales by 25% by the end of this year." That's something specific and measurable (how much money do we want?), but also ambitious enough that it'll take some work (how do we get there?).

Make your goals time-bound: Setting a deadline is another way to keep yourself on track. If you don't, it's easy to let things slide and put off working toward your goal until tomorrow or next week—and then next month or next year. By setting an end date for when this goal should be accomplished, you're more likely to work harder now to get it done in time.

It's important to give yourself enough time to reach your goal (but not too much), so that you don't feel rushed or pressured by an unrealistic deadline.

Make sure to have an accountability partner: Try as you might, it's easy to lose steam when you're trying to make significant changes in your life. That's why it can be helpful to have someone on your side who keeps you accountable for your goals—someone who reminds you of the things you're working on and encourages you when necessary.

Setting a goal is a very personal experience—you have to be honest with yourself about what you want to achieve, and then find ways to make that happen. Hopefully, this article has been helpful in your goal-setting journey. Look out for the next article where the conversation continues ??

What are some specific strategies you use to set and achieve your goals? How do you stay motivated and on track throughout the year?

Dr. Rubina F. Malik is a scholar, strategic advisor, and a global learning and development expert. As a champion of mentoring, career sponsorship and leadership development, she helps organizations and individuals enhance the engagement, retention, and promotion of diverse candidates. Competitive edge-driving organizations from start-ups to Fortune 500 global brands depend on her support and expertise to propel programs such as mentoring, career sponsorship and leadership development. www.rubinafmalik.com