Around this time, most of us set goals for the new year that begins: quit smoking, go to the gym, learn English, lose weight, leave a suffocating relationship, have a child, change jobs, dedicate more time to the family, meditate… Do any of them sound familiar to you?

The purposes are set with enthusiasm and optimism, however, most of them remain only good wishes that we do not know how to achieve.

What is the reason for this? It is simply not enough to think about what we would like to do in the new year that begins. You have to take time to do a deeper exercise. Do you want to know how?

Do not panic. You don’t need to dedicate many days, but you do need to give yourself a few hours. They will be the hours best invested in you in this new year.

First stop and think about what you really want to achieve in this new year. Next, take a piece of paper and write those goals down. By writing them down you will be more aware of what you are wanting, you will spend more time reflecting and, most importantly, you will commit to your goals more firmly.

What should the objectives be?

Specific.
Positive, in which you say what you want to achieve, not what you want to avoid.
Challenging and at the same time realistic.
Measurable.
Let them depend on you, not on what others do.

What do you need to take into account?

Analyze what resources you need (people or things) and which ones you have.
Calculate the cost of achieving your goals (money, time, impact on those around you). Every gain also brings a loss and being clear about this will help you not throw in the towel later.
Make an action plan with micro goals that will help you overcome obstacles.
Set deadlines to achieve each micro goal and each objective.
Make a plan to track your goals with regular reviews, and establish how you will measure your progress.
Define what rewards you will give yourself when you achieve them and don’t forget to enjoy those moments when they arrive.
Finally, put your goals in a visible place in your room or workplace. Be as creative as you want so they don’t go unnoticed. Always having them in mind will remind you that one day, at the beginning of the year, you made a commitment to yourself and promised to carry them out. You will see the deadlines and how your progress is going, and above all you will be able to focus on all the objectives that you are achieving and gain new strength to not give up and continue with those that are still pending.

If you follow these clues and put your mind to it, you will be able to achieve your goals. What’s stopping you from trying?