Setting Goals this December

So the time of year is coming up where we start to take our foot off the gas, and why shouldn't we? We've worked very hard all year and the festive season is a time to celebrate, spend time with the friends and family, indulge in bad food and drink until we start finding our family funny. We all have such a great time and the rest is well and truly needed to come back fresh and smash the hell out of the new year, but instead of starting on an uphill climb in January, why don't we plan our years in December while the previous year is still fresh and you're still amongst it. This way, as soon as you jump into January, you can sprint out of the racing blocks because all of your goals are set and you know how to achieve them already. Trust me, if you do this in December you're holiday time will be that much more relaxing.

So what do we do to set effective goals for the next year? First of all, the years not over. We still have over a month left. For me, this is one of the most important times of the year because I am someone who likes to earn my rest so if I am to have 2 weeks off over the Xmas period, these are just a couple of goals for the next 4 weeks:

• Wake up 3 hours before I start work to give me time to read, exercise, or anything else I wish to do in this time.
• Get into my office at 8 every day
• Exercise every morning
• Eat Healthy every day - reach a certain weight before the holiday period.

These are very basic but if you were to actually read them on my goal - setting page, they're SMART goals and I know how to get there.

By setting these short-term goals and achieving them before my holiday period along with all of the other huge goals I have been hitting throughout the year, these will give me a final bit of confidence I need to plan and forecast for next year.

I ensure I set a date before the holiday period goes crazy, and that morning undistracted these are the parts of my life I plan for that are important to me:

If I fail to prepare for 2017 then I am preparing to fail, but for me, I would rather be prepared before 2017 so I am one step ahead when the year starts. If I am playing catch up, then it is like starting the morning on a negative and your day goes bad, the same principle applies, if you start January bad, your year may go bad.

If you are planning to do something similar (whatever works for you) or you really want to improve your life in any of these areas, why don't you set yourself solid goals for the next 3-4 weeks, achieve them then set a date to plan for 2017. Trust me, a morning where you turn your phone off, plan and prepare could result in massive things happening in your life next year. Your friends can wait until you have planned how to achieve where you think you deserve to be.

If you need any help with setting goals or motivation, then I am always on hand to help.

Good luck!