Grap a cup of coffee, or tea, or a glass of wine even, and let’s have a chat! Today I want to talk about yearly goals for 2018 and how to stay focus on them throughout the year.
We are still fairly early in 2018 and like most people you probably have a list of things you would like to achieve this year. Yet each year, months go by and the last thing you know it is Christmas! So how can you stay on top of your yearly goals and make sure you achieve them (or at least give it a good try)?
This year, for the first time, I have to learn it to do it all myself. Why? Well because I made a big career change which means I will be, at least for now, only accountable to myself. No more colleagues I need provide things with, no more deadlines from my manager or corporate annual review. I start this year being my own boss, which means I HAVE to deliver things to and for myself.
And if there is one thing you need to know about me is that I can be an EXCELLENT procrastinator if given the opportunity! This comes with its pros – I am a very fast and efficient worker. And its cons – without pressure from someone I can stagnate for a while…
Not being used to be accountable only to myself, I had to make a few adjustments and create a strategy that would help me stay on track and away from trashy afternoon TV. I also thought that some of you may find it useful, so here we go!
List your goals
A first exercise I have done is to actually list my goals! Trust me there is a big difference between telling yourself ‘This year I am getting fit’ and actually writing it down on a task list. Listing goals make them more real and you will suddenly itch to scratch them off the list.
In my case, I decided to have at least three goals in the following categories: Professional, Health and Personal. I think these cover most aspect of life and are broad enough that anyone can use them! After all, a health goal could be ‘being fit’, ‘have a healthy pregnancy’ or ‘stop smoking’.
Document your goals
Now that you have a list, make sure to actually document your goals in details and in a more formal format. That is where a good old Excel spreadsheet is coming handy!
I created three categories (Professional, Health and Personal) and under each category, I documented my 2018 goals and the quarterly objectives associated with them. It is a simple, structured and detailed format which will help you stay on track.
Track your goals
Talking about staying on track, a great way to be accountable is by tracking progress. Not only will this help you achieve your goals, it will also be a great document to check on the days you feel down, just to see how much you have already achieved!
I created a second tab in my Excel document where, for each yearly goal, I set a monthly target. I will track them using colour coding – green is for ‘High five girl! You’ve made it (or almost)’, amber is for ‘At least you have tried and now you have some useful lessons learned’, red is for ‘Dudess, you can seriously do better and I know it because you have done it before’.
Oh yes, I forgot to say that inner voice language is highly encouraged! This is a document by and for you.
Share your goals
One thing I found very useful late last year when making a significant career change was to talk about it. All that time I had those ideas in my head but never shared them with anyone. I changed that and suddenly people would ask me about my goals and if things were progressing. This is a great way to find motivation and avoid procrastinating just so you don’t have to admit that you did nothing at the next brunch/ drinks/ gathering.
So being true to my word and practising what I am preaching, below are my 2018 goals. I am sharing them with you to stay motivated and hopefully be able to update you now and then with progress!
Professional
- To become a freelance communications specialist and digital content creator, and hopefully create my own business to have more time to focus on other passions
- To develop a strong network of entrepreneurs, communications and digital professionals
- To grow my blog so it becomes a trustworthy source for travel, interior and beauty
Health
- To meditate once a day
- To workout three times a week
- To take better care of my body
Personal
- To fully lose my French accent in English
- To give more back to the community by helping charities
- To make more time for my family and friends
And you? What are your goals for 2018? How are you making sure to stay focused on them throughout the year?
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Claire Imaginarium 