With the ringing in of the new year comes the impulsive need to set goals for what’s to come. All around us people are planning their next steps. But what about you? Do you have any goals you want to achieve in 2024? And, even more importantly, are those goals realistic and achievable?
Too often I see people making unrealistic goals for themselves. They simply shoot too high, too quickly and inevitably find themselves in failure. And there’s nothing more detrimental to our mental health than failure to launch.
Why it’s important to make sure your goals are small and achievable
Taking the time to set goals is a very important part of our personal and, in some respects, our professional growth. Goals provide us with a clear roadmap as to where to go next, be it a big life-altering goal or something smaller. No matter what your goals are, big or small, it’s important to take things one step at a time!
Achieveable goals allow us to take stepping stones rather than wide, often overwhelming lunges forward. They break down the larger tasks into more bite-sized pieces, making the journey more manageable. But if you choose to take on larger goals all at once, be warned that this can often lead to frustration and failure. Specifically if not thought through carefully and broken down.
How to set achievable goals for 2024:
Be SMART about it! One of the best tools I’ve found for setting goals is using SMART targets. I’ve used them for pretty much everything since finding out about them during my years in university.
But what are SMART targets? If you’re new to these then here’s a brief description of what they are and how you can use them.
“Sustainable SMART targets can be used in all areas of life from the workplace to your personal goals. They’re highly motivating, help provide clarity, keep you organised, and even help instil focus and purpose.”
If you want to learn more about these, check out this post and learn how you can make these work for your wellness plan.
Make a plan:
Take time to sit down and outline your goals for the coming year. Whether it’s personal or professional, having clear objectives will help you focus your energy and stay motivated. But, remember, you want to improve your mental health, not ruin it completely. Your goals shouldn’t leave you feeling overwhelmed; instead, they should provide you with a clear outline of where you are and where you want to be.
Be accountable:
Accountability is one of the best ways to ensure you stay on track! If you share your goals with your friends, family or an online support group, you’re more likely to stick to them. Especially with the extra encouragement and even a buddy or two!
A good example of this is something I’m currently doing regarding my creative writing projects. My friend and I both encourage each other to keep up with our writing and aim to write a certain amount of words per week. We keep it realistic, with a sensible word goal of one thousand, but often overshoot. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to write as much as I have in the last few months. Going forward into 2024 my personal goal is to continue with my novel and, by the end of the year, have at least fifty-two thousand words more to wards its completion.
Don’t be afraid to adapt:
Life is all about change and sometimes we need to accept it. Roll with the punches! Don’t be discouraged or afraid to switch things up when you encounter roadblocks, or even if you find a better way of doing things.
Get organised:
It can be hard to stay organised when there’s so much chaos and clutter around. But it’s essential if you want to stay on track for the year. So take some time to organise your space and develop a system that works for you. Keeping your life organised is one of the best ways to feel like you have everything under control and can help you make the most of every day.
Celebrate all your milestones:
Too often we can get caught up in the big accomplishments. Graduating, getting a job, buying a house, getting married, having a baby, or even starting your own business. While all these things are wonderful, they aren’t the be and end-all. You can and should take the time to celebrate your small accomplishments too. Like that time you got out of bed when you didn’t want to. Or walking to a cafe when you could easily have eaten crisps for lunch. We accomplish so many small things every day that we simply let them pass.
15+ Affirmations to support your new year goals:
- “I am confident in my abilities and attract opportunities for professional growth. Each day, I take steps toward achieving my career goals.”
- “I embrace challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. I am becoming the best version of myself every day.”
- “I respect and nurture my body. Every choice I make supports my physical and mental well-being. I am creating a healthy and vibrant life.”
- “I am financially responsible and attract abundance into my life. I make wise decisions that lead to financial success and freedom.”
- “I cultivate meaningful connections with others. My relationships are based on love, respect, and mutual growth.”
- “My creative expression knows no bounds. I make time for my passions, and my creativity enriches every aspect of my life.”
- “I use my time wisely, focusing on priorities that align with my goals. Each moment is an opportunity for progress and success.”
- “I face challenges with courage and resilience. Every obstacle is a stepping stone toward greater achievements.”
- “I am grateful for the abundance in my life. Gratitude opens the door to more positive experiences and opportunities.”
- “I am kind to myself in moments of difficulty. I recognize my worth, and I am deserving of success, happiness, and fulfillment.”
- “I am capable of achieving any goal I set for myself.”
- “Every day, I am moving closer to my goals.”
- “I attract success and abundance in all areas of my life.”
- “My goals are achievable, and I have the skills and resources to reach them.”
- “I am focused, persistent, and determined to achieve my goals.”
- “I release any fear or doubt about achieving my goals; I trust in my abilities.”
- “I am open to new opportunities that align with my goals.”
- “I am deserving of success, and I allow it to flow into my life.”
- “I set clear, specific, and achievable goals for myself.”
- “My goals reflect my values and contribute positively to my life and the lives of others.”
- “I am committed to taking consistent and purposeful action toward my goals.”
- “I celebrate my progress and achievements, no matter how small.”
- “I am resilient in the face of challenges; I learn and grow from every experience.”
- “I trust the process of life and believe that everything is unfolding for my highest good.”
- “I am a magnet for positive energy and opportunities that support my goals.”
Have you set your goals for the year? What goals have you set? I’d love to hear in the comments.
Ashley | Make Life Marvelous says
This is such a great post for goal setting in a smart way! Too many times we make things more complicated than they need to be, especially with overarching goals! Those bite size pieces really help and I absolutely agree about it being super important to be able to adapt.
Hope your week is going well so far! 🙂
Make Life Marvelous
Awakening Wonders says
The 15+ Affirmations are just perfect – thanks for sharing them with me!
Cam @Vicoli and Caffè says
My strategy for 2024 consist in having long terms goals and break them down across different months. Sometimes I’ve to re-set a bit my objective, as I notice that I focused enough on one but not enough on the other and it won’t likely be complete in time, but also trying no to desperate is essential. Sometimes making peace with the factnot everything will be archivable for the schedule imposed is very important
bournemouthgirl says
I hope your year is going well and you are smashing your goals!
I always enjoy breaking down my goals into smaller chunks that are more manageable; it’s okay to dream big, but having workable steps that actually get us moving forward is definitely key. This advice is great here—very useful!
I hope your goals are going well. Thank you for reading and commenting.