5 steps to goal setting- New Year, New You!

A new year is all about a fresh start. It's time to throw off the last year and look forward. What do you want to achieve this year? Are there changes you want to make? Goals you want to achieve? I don't do resolutions but I do like goal setting for my year ahead. Some are work focused, some around family and lots are travel related this year! I've got some big trips planned!

Some of my goals this year are to blog more and build this blog into a bigger business that will help me reach my travel goals, to save enough money to go to Europe this Christmas on a family holiday, to be able to work smarter rather than longer hours so I can successfully juggle work with my daughter starting school this year and to save money for my big 40th birthday trip to New York in June!

To help you get the most out of your year and take you a few steps closer to your goals, here are 5 steps to goal setting your year...

Contents

Goal Setting Step 1- Set your goals

Set some time aside with the family to talk about what you want to achieve this year. Do you want to save for a big family holiday? Do you want to spend more time together? Are you saving for something special? It's a lot easier to reach a goal when everyone is on board.

When you're setting your goals, make sure they are SMART. That means:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Timely

So, for example, if your goal is to buy your own house this year, that's specific and timely, but is it attainable? Is it relevant to your current financial situation? You need to sit down, work out your finances, break it down into measurable amounts to keep you on track. So if you need to save $5k a month towards costs, how are you going to do that? You need a budget, a plan and a strategy.

The SMARTer your goals are, the more likely you will be to achieve them.

Goal Setting Step 2- Make a vision board

Vision boards are a great way to remind yourself of your goals every day. Do you want a new job? Planning a big holiday? Looking to find a partner? Want to focus on your health? All of this can go on your vision board.

The process of creating your vision board helps you narrow down your goals for the year. Use a notice board or a foam core board and then cut out or print images, quotes or powerful statements that speak to you. These need to be motivating and personal to you.

Once you have created your vision board place it somewhere you will see it every day. It will serve as a constant visual reminder of your goals and keep you on track. I love this post by Well and Good on creating a goal setting vision board.

Goal Setting Step 3- Find a Goal Buddy

You are much more likely to achieve your goals if you have someone holding you accountable! Just think how much better you are at exercising if you have someone to do it with, or if you are accountable to meet your personal trainer each week. At work, we are better with goals because we are held accountable by our managers. So to achieve your own personal goals, find a buddy that you can report in to regularly and that will help hold you accountable. Then you do the same for them!

Goal Setting Step 4- Don't be Afraid to Change your Goals

Just because something was your goal in January, it doesn't mean things will be the same in June. Don't be afraid you change your goals, chuck them or move them to another time. Things change in life and that means your goals will too. Sit down every three months and look at them again. Are they still SMART? If not, delete them. You don't need a whole load of goals, the less you have, the more likely you will be to achieve them.

Goal Setting Step 5- Start NOW!

Our minds know how to talk us out of things. We are always starting tomorrow/Monday/ when I'm not so tired. But if you don't start right now then you'll lose motivation and before you know it your ten weeks from Christmas, wondering where the year has gone. So get on board, decide what you want from this year and start planning!