Happy New Year!

New Year, New Goals

2019!
A new year, a new you and a new beginning!
What do you want to improve?
What do you want to achieve?
How are you going to make it happen?

Many people start the New Year intent on realising their newly formed resolutions, only to fail at the first hurdle. Studies show that on average only 8% of people are successful in achieving their goal and many quickly give up. Some reasons for this can be impractical goal setting, bad planning, unrealistic allocated timescales, shortage of finances, insufficient commitment and an absence of regular progress review.

How To Set Goals

Setting goals can be a powerful process in both personal development and academic progress, but succeeding takes hard work, determination and good organisation. Some people seem to work hard but don’t appear to achieve very much, thinking about what you want to do and where you want to be in the future can focus the mind. Visualise it as a journey that you need to plan, how are you going to get from A to B?

Goals can be overall long term aims but supported by more achievable short term targets to help you arrive, fully prepared at your destination. Carefully consider your objectives and brainstorm ideas until you devise your strategy for success. Set your goals in writing and use positive language, for example ‘I will’ not ‘I would like to’. Prepare a well thought out action plan and stick with it.

S.M.A.R.T

Specific
What exactly is it you want to achieve? The more specific you are the more likely it is you will achieve it. You may have an overall dream/goal of where you would like to be in 5 or 10 years time, but what is it you need to accomplish to make this happen? Begin by setting smaller, achievable goals to help this vision become a reality.

Measurable
Make your goal measurable so you can measure progress and be clear about when the goal has been achieved. On your list you can tick off progress so that you can see when you have accomplished your aims.

Achievable/Attainable
Be realistic about the goal you are trying to attain. It sounds obvious but don’t work towards a goal you have no hope of reaching. Do you have the commitment, time, funding and the ability to achieve it? If not break it down into smaller areas that will ultimately lead to the same outcome. Remember, it is a process and a culmination of smaller steps.

Relevant
Be clear about why you want to achieve it and is it relevant to your overall aim.

Time Bound
Have a deadline, but make it realistic. A race against time isn’t the idea but having a timescale to work within can keep you motivated, accountable and more likely to achieve your objective.

You can download one of the many online templates or carry out further research if necessary!

Make 2019 the year you embark on your journey of accomplishment!

All the best,

The A2B Team.

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