Are you ready for a new year? It's here, ready or not!
To me, there is something exciting about a clean slate. At the beginning of the new year, people usually make resolutions they won't keep and empty promises to themselves. Then, when December rolls around, they look back on just another year of the same stuff. I don't want that to happen to you this year!
One of the best ways to make real progress in life is to create a year-long roadmap. Some people have incredibly detailed plans, while others focus on one major accomplishment.
Here are three steps to making 2025 a successful year:
1) Have a goal. Many people fail to set specific goals for their lives. They live with something subjective, like "I want to have a better year than last year," but that can be accomplished by finding a $20 bill in the parking lot. If you didn't find one last year, it's automatically a "better year"!
Instead, I want you to think of one specific goal you have for your life (personal or professional) in the coming year. What one thing do you really want to accomplish this year? Write it down and put it on your bathroom mirror so you'll see it daily.
2) Have a plan. You know what you want now, so what would be the logical first step toward that goal? What should you do to start heading in the right direction? If your goal is to visit Paris, then go ahead and plan out the entire trip. How long will you stay there? What do you want to see? Now, what will I need to budget to make all that possible? Once you know your budget, start saving something. Even if it's just a dollar today, save it!
If your goal is to start a new business, what is the first step to making that happen? Whatever your goal is, go ahead and write down the steps you'll need to take (in order) so you can visualize what you should be concentrating on first. Too many people just have a goal and then shoot for it all at once, never considering the difficulty it might take to get there.
Then take that first step, and celebrate when you accomplish it!
3) Have a deadline. If you give yourself forever to do something, that's how long it'll take. You'll never see the goal happen because it's always a "someday" thing (I've talked about this in the past). With a deadline, you know the time frame, and there's a sense of urgency in doing it. Make sure the deadline is realistic, even though it may push you to make it happen in time. Give yourself a challenge! You've got this!
If you can only set one lofty goal for yourself this year, do it! When you accomplish that goal, I guarantee you'll set more. Tracking your steps and seeing results will build momentum and motivate you to do more in your life.
Put in a little effort today to get the year started right, stick with it as the weeks go by, and you're going to look back on this year with pride and amazement!
You've got this!
P.S. If you'd like some help strategizing your goals for the new year, my coaching program is currently accepting applicants for this year!
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