The new year is here, and with it comes an exciting opportunity to set goals and hit the ground running. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure of where to start, then this guide is for you. Here we’ll provide step-by-step instructions on how to develop a goal-setting blueprint that will help ensure success in the coming year.
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Start With Your Dreams
The first step in developing your goal-setting blueprint is to start with your dreams. What do you want from life? What are your hopes and aspirations?
Get a pen and brainstorm all of your dreams! Then, write down at least 5 of your dreams that you want to accomplish this year!
Once you’ve identified your dreams, it’s time to get specific about what you want to accomplish in the next 12 months. Be sure to write down these specific goals for the new year so that you can refer back to them later.
Some people say to “be reasonable”. Others say to “be unreasonable”.
There is no right way. Try both. Do it all.
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Break Down Your Goals into Actionable Steps
Now that you’ve written down your lofty goals, it’s time to break them down into more manageable chunks. This means taking each goal and breaking it down into smaller, actionable steps that will help you reach your goal by the end of the year.
So, for each goal you have, make sure to write down at least 3 action steps!
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Create Deadlines for Each Step
Once you have broken down each goal into its individual steps, it’s important to create deadlines for each one so that they don’t slip through the cracks or get forgotten about amidst all of the other tasks on your plate throughout the year. Knowing when each step needs to be completed by will help keep you motivated and on track towards achieving your larger end goal by December 31st!
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Set Reminders
In addition to setting deadlines, setting reminders can also be helpful in keeping yourself accountable while working towards a particular goal over the course of a year. This could mean setting an alarm on your phone every day or week reminding yourself of what tasks need completing or simply making a note of where each task stands!
There are also some cool habit apps like “streak”. My recommendation on these is that you only focus on one new habit at a time! You can always add more later!
The First Step Is Writing It Down
To reitierate: the first step is writing your goals down. Having a physical record of your goals will help keep you focused and motivated. Write down each of the steps it will take to reach your goal, including any challenges or obstacles you may face along the way.
You might call this a plan of action!
Create A Plan Of Action
When setting goals, it’s important to create a plan of action in order to maximize success. We’ll say it again: Break down large tasks into smaller, more achievable tasks so that they don’t seem so overwhelming. Estimate how much time each task should take and set deadlines for yourself in order to stay on track. This will help make sure that tasks get done in a timely manner and help prevent procrastination which could lead to missed milestones or even failure of the entire project or goal.
Set A Timeline
Once you have created a plan of action it is important to set deadlines for yourself in order to stay on track with achieving your goal. Setting short-term deadlines for yourself will also help keep motivation high as well as provide positive reinforcement when milestones are achieved along the way towards the overall goal completion date. Make sure these deadlines are realistic though as too tight of a timeline could lead to pressure and ultimately failure due to unrealistic expectations.
Accountability Is Key
We all need some kind of support system when we are pursuing our goals—it’s just too hard to do it all alone! That’s why having someone who can hold us accountable can be so powerful; not only do they help keep us focused on our objectives but they also provide valuable feedback and insight during times when we might feel like giving up or losing hope. Whether this person is a friend or colleague or even just an online accountability group, having someone who understands what you are going through can make all the difference between success and failure when it comes time to reaching our dreams!
If you don’t have someone, maybe find a coach online or in person to help you. It just feels like the times I succeed the most are when I have a teacher. It’s much easier to go to the swimming pool when you’re on a swim team than to do it alone!
For example, let’s say you want to exercise more! Well, who exercises a lot in Missoula and has a lot of fun that we know? How about the pickleball people down at the club? They are having such a blast that they’re totally addicted to exercise. Plus, the look great!
Keep it going
Some people write down their 10 goals as soon as they wake up! Other people write down their 5 dreams as soon as they wake up! There are a lot of techniques – see which appeals to you and try them.
It also helps to be someone who studies success. Listen to the podcasts and the books and be open to hearing ideas that might take you out of your comfort zone. For example, David Goggins has a new book out that I’m just loving. And it’s cool because in it, he talks about Missoula quite a bit!
Conclusion
Achieving success doesn’t happen overnight—it takes hard work and dedication over time in order to reach any big dream or ambition. That being said, having a clear plan of action with realistic timelines can make all the difference when trying to stay organized and on track throughout the course of an entire year! By following our simple guide above, I hope that 2023 can be a productive and successful one full of fulfilling accomplishments! Good luck!
John Michaels is a local Missoula author who graduated from Brown University in creative writing. In between raising kids, he spends his time meandering around downtown Missoula, writing screenplays, doing cryotherapy, and playing chess.