What are your goals for 2023? Have you heard this question already? It’s that time of year when we hear about goal setting everywhere and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed just thinking about how to set good goals for the upcoming year. Setting goals is important because they act as a compass, keeping you focused on the actions you need to take. In today’s blog, we will discuss how to define your goals and how to actually achieve them.
Visualize where you want to go
Before you can define your goals for 2023, you need to have a clear picture of what you want your life to look like as the years pass. What do you want to do more or less of? What matters most to you? Using a journal to write answers to some of these questions is a great place to start.
Next, I recommend taking the time to write out a 5-year vision. Think about what you want to be doing, where you want to be, and what experiences you hope to have. Evaluate each area of your life that needs improvement and create different categories. Then think about what steps you can take in the upcoming year to get you closer to that life.
Once you know what steps to take first, start laying out the events and activities you have to do each month and those you want to do on a big piece of paper so you can build SMART goals with realistic timelines. A big part of achieving your goals is making sure that you have considered your obligations. So, for example, you shouldn’t set a goal to go on a tropical escape in the same month when you are expected to attend a business conference. We want to set ourselves up for success.
SMART goals defined
I mentioned building SMART goals for 2023. What exactly does that mean? A smart goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. I’ll break it down quickly below.
Specific
The goal is super clear. If someone else read it, they would know exactly what you will achieve and how. If your goal is not clear enough, it’s easy to drift away from it.
Measurable
You need numbers to keep track of your progress. Set a specific benchmark that can be quantified. This will also help you define where you need to be each month.
Achievable
Your goal should be realistic for the year. This is not a place to shoot for the moon so we’ll land on the stars. We want to make sure we shoot for the stars and actually get there. Setting a goal you can realistically accomplish will help keep you motivated.
Relevant
Remember that 5-year vision I mentioned above? Setting goals for the upcoming year is great but make sure they are in alignment with the life you want to build, what’s the point otherwise?
Time-bound
You need a deadline. A time to evaluate where you are. There is nothing wrong if you have not gotten as far as you’d hoped by the deadline. Take that moment to be grateful for how far you’ve come and to determine what steps to take next to get to where you want to be.
Once you’ve set your SMART goals for 2023, it’s time to break them down so you can make them happen. What do you have to do each month to get there? Is there a new skill you need to learn? A networking event you should attend? Do you need to save money? Ask good questions so you can take aligned action.
10 tips to achieve your goals for 2023
You’ve set your goals for 2023. What do you do now to make sure you stick to them? Here are 10 tips to achieve your goals.
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Start setting goals that matter to you
Take stock of your life. How do you want to feel in this new year? Maybe you want more energy, or to feel more organized. Maybe you want to stop hustling all the time. If you build your goals for 2023 based on how you want to feel rather than what you think you should do, you are much more likely to stick to them. Writing down your goals is like outlining the next chapter of your life. So make sure it’s a story you actually want to live through and it will be much easier to stay motivated.
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Ask yourself: Who?
Who do you need to support you as you make your goal a reality? Maybe your partner can be an accountability partner. Maybe a coach or trainer can help you. Just because you set a goal for yourself, this doesn’t mean you have to accomplish it on your own. I believe in bringing others who will support us on the road.
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Schedule it in your planner
I have to schedule it in my daily planner. If I don’t, 10 pm rolls around and I haven’t taken the 10000 steps I intended to, or I didn’t listen to the podcast I wanted to listen to. If I don’t schedule it, it doesn’t happen. Life gets busy, we get caught up in to-do lists. And before we know it, we are completely off-track. Schedule the time you need to accomplish your goals for 2023, that way you make sure it is actually happening on the day-to-day.
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Have a plan for when you fall off track
You will fall off track. That’s pretty much a given. Life is full of unexpected events, hardships, and challenges. So what will you do when you get knocked off course? I’m not talking about beating yourself up, quite the opposite. Take a moment and accept that you may fall off track, then plan how you will get back to it. Maybe you’ll need to revisit your goals and adjust. That’s where tip number 5 comes in.
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Be flexible
Maybe you committed to walking a mile every day but then realized, you get super bored walking. That’s ok. Be open to making a change. Goals are not meant to be torture. And there are several paths to the same result. Taking the example above, maybe you were hoping for more energy and so you decided that moving your body for thirty minutes a day was the way to go. That’s how you decided on the walking goal. There are other ways to get your body moving, you could run, do yoga, dance… the options are endless. There are other ways to accomplish your goals for 2023 if the first path you chose is not bringing you joy.
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Leave room for playtime along the way
We are not built to continually deliver results without a break. I know it can be tempting to push through exhaustion, but once you hit that burnout stage, you’ll be much more likely to throw in the towel. So reward yourself along the way and take breaks. Celebrate when you meet different benchmarks. Try not to lose sight of why you created these goals in the first place.
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Build habits for success
We all have habits, whether they are ones that serve or hurt us is another matter. So how do we stay consistent enough to build habits that will get us to our goals? A part of that is tenacity, but there are ways we can stoke the fire sort of speak. Why does this action matter to you? For example, if you want to stretch every day, think about why stretching actually matters. Tell yourself: It matters to me because if I’m not flexible, I can get injured. If I get injured, I can’t move and if I can’t move, I can’t do the things I love. Reminding yourself of why you want to build a habit will help you stay consistent.
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Set reminders
We talked about scheduling the time you need to accomplish the bite-sized actions that will get you closer to your goals. Now how do we make them a non-negotiable when we get a flat tire or come down with the flu? Choose a day of the week to look at your days, your to-dos, and your needle-moving actions. Then set reminders. On your phone, in your room, at your workstation, everywhere! If you are receiving the same message multiple times a day, eventually you’ll start to be more consistent with it just because it’s so in your face it’s impossible to ignore.
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Focus on the benefits
Our brains can be funny sometimes. Words like goals, motivation, discipline… can be intimidating and send us into freeze mode. It’s ok to reword and reframe so we can work with our brains instead of against them. Where do you feel resistance coming up? What story are you telling yourself about that goal? Go back to the beginning, to the feelings you are pursuing. Focus on the life you are building, and visualize what it will feel like after the goal is accomplished. Let your brain see the benefits. Keep that vision at the forefront of your mind whenever doubt creeps in.
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Allow room for self-compassion
Setbacks are going to happen. Life happens and there are certain things we have control over and there are certain things we don’t have control over. I think having some self-compassion and love for yourself when those challenges come is necessary. Those things you are working on will be there for you whenever you are ready to pick yourself up and get back on again. It’s ok to just be still and take a moment to see where things land and if you need to reevaluate anything.
A life coach can help you reach your goals for 2023
Life coaches are cheerleaders, co-creators, and your biggest supporters. As a life coach, I keep you accountable and on track. It’s my job to help you figure out what’s true to you with only your best interest in mind. When it comes to achieving your goals for 2023, I work as a partner who helps you devise a plan and define those small actions each week. We work through your setbacks together. I look at your potential pitfalls or blind spots and offer you support as we work through solutions.
A new year brings a sense of renewal. You can take advantage of the momentum to start building your dream life. If you are looking for a partner to hold your hand and make this your best year yet, I’d love to chat with you. Have a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year, I’ll see you in 2023!
Read more about how to set SMART goals here:
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/smart-goals/
