How to Set Goals and Plan Your Year
With the holidays quickly approaching, now is the time to take a quiet moment and begin to plan for the year ahead.
We all know how crazy those weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be, so I’ve created this post to help you plan now for an amazing year ahead.
I’ll cover seven easy steps to plan the best year ever, and of course there’s a free printable workbook too! You can grab the FREE WORKBOOK by clicking the image below:
Step 1: Drop the Guilt
Have you ever made a resolution or set an intention that didn’t pan out?
Me too. And guess what - I’m okay with that! Sometimes our goals change, our dreams shift or life just plain happens. Let it go! I see so many clients who are so busy beating themselves up over what they didn’t achieve, they don’t see the amazing opportunity for a fresh start in front of them.
It’s okay that you didn’t meet your goal, stay on track with your dream or live your intention daily.
That’s part of your journey - not a predictor of future success. So take a moment to flip the script, and come up with 3 lessons you learned in the past year as a result of not achieving your goal.
How did you become a better person? What did you learn about yourself, the world or others? How can you internalize this learning to make you more successful going forward? How can you view this past year as a trial run for an amazing year ahead?
This time of year is filled with resolutions, intentions and goals. While it can be exciting to dream about big goals you have, it can also be daunting to figure out how you are going to achieve them. This post walks you through the seven simple steps I use as a Life Coach to get my clients the results they want - every single time. If you aren’t sure where to start - or if you already have a goal in mind, keep reading for a foolproof plan to make your goals and dreams a reality this year.
Step 2 - Identify a goal that is meaningful to YOU
The first thing you need to do if you really want to have an amazing - is identify exactly what it is you hope to achieve, and even better - how that will make you feel. What will be different when you accomplish this goal? How will your life be better?
Do you want to start an online business or blog next year? Why? What would it feel like to be an entrepreneur who is creative, successful and in charge of their own destiny? How would you feel each day if you knew you were waking up to help others and make a real difference around something you are passionate about?
Dream big and don’t be afraid to put it all out there.
Step 3 - Make your goal super specific
Now's the time to get ruthless! Make your goal as specific as possible, so you can be really clear on exactly what you want to achieve, and what success looks like to you.
Ask yourself what you want to achieve, why you want to achieve it, and when it needs to be done in order for you to feel successful. How exactly will you measure success? Don’t be afraid to get down to the nitty gritty!
Here’s an example in case you’re head is spinning…
If you hope to launch a course this year - make it a reality! Instead of simply saying, “I want to launch an online course” - make it specific. Say “I’m going to launch a DIY Online Course on Sept 15 and bring in $15,000 in revenue from that launch”. Wow! Feels good right?
This step can be scary because it opens up the possibility of failure more so than if you leave things general. It’s going to be really easy to see if you come up short on September 15th if you:
haven’t launched a course or
there isn’t $15,000 on the books
But if you don’t have a clearly measurable goal - the next steps won’t work (and you won’t be accountable). So take the plunge and make it measurable!
Did you miss that super handy workbook that would be uber helpful right about now? No worries - here’s the link for an instant download: CLICK HERE.
Step 4 - Figure out the 3 - 5 results that will make the success of your goal inevitable
This is the point in the process where people usually get lost. It’s pretty easy to think of a goal - and many take it to the next level and make it measurable. But I want to challenge you to think of the 3 - 5 results that you need to make your goal inevitable. That’s right, inevitable. Your goal has to happen if you truly get these 3 - 5 results.
For our online course example - these results might include:
Finishing a $150 course by July 1st
Hitting multiple marketing outlets in the launch phase, including webinars, podcasts, guests posts and affiliate sales.
Launching your course and having 100 buyers by September 15th
Seems simple right? Mapping out exactly what combination of results you need to make your goal inevitable can actually be really fun! Think up different results that might contribute to what you are trying to achieve.
How many different ways can you set yourself up for success?
The key here is to figure out exactly how to get the right combination of results to make your measurable goal inevitable. For this example we also could have used a pre-sale, or beta testing result to contribute to revenue streams - or possibly included a challenge or mini course to increase buy-in leading up to the launch. The options are endless so get creative, and think big!
Step 5 - Identify the recurring actions you need to take to get those results
This is where the dissection gets pretty serious (planners, delight!). You will need to look at each of your big results and figure out exactly how to get there. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by this step - you might need to break your results into several different results so they are easier to digest.
Wishing for a workbook? I get it! Here’s a great workbook that will take you through this process step by step:
Click Here to get your free workbook
For our first result of this example “Finish a $150 course by July 1st”, there are going to be many actions required to achieve this result. From deciding on a course topic (and perhaps doing some market research along the way!) to figuring out exactly what each module will cover, to recording videos/making workbooks to finding a platform and incorporating branding - there is a lot to be done! But creating a master task list for each result will give you a roadmap, and help your prioritize to make you effective and efficient. Find out where you are going to need help, what you need to research more and who you could learn from.
Do this for each result being as specific as you possibly can. Note any recurring actions you might need to take. If you need to sell your course to 100 people to meet your revenue goals, you will need an audience of 5,000 with an average conversion rate of 2%. Do you have this many people on your email list at this point? No? That’s okay! How many subscribers would you need a week in order to reach 5,000 by September 1st? What do you need to do on a weekly/monthly basis to bring in more subscribers? A weekly freebie workbook on your website as an opt in? Run a value packed webinar each month to give folks a taste of how you can help them? How do you plan to keep your audience engaged and happy between now and when you plan to launch? All of these items need to go on the task list for this result - and remember, the more specific the better!
Step 6 - Schedule Tasks and commit to change
Now let’s put it all together into an actionable, and easy to follow plan! Take a look at when you want to achieve your goal, and what you have on each task list for your big results. You now need to go into your calendar/bullet journal/etc and schedule in each task. That’s right - each task.
For this step you can get as specific as you choose, but I think the more information the better. If you need to create, publish and market a weekly blog post with an opt-in freebie to drive subscribers to your list - figure out how that will fit in your schedule. What tasks go into publishing content each week? How could you batch things to make it more time efficient? Schedule these tasks in your calendar so you know exactly when you need to be focusing in - and what you need to be focusing on.
So many of us waste time figuring out where to start! This step eliminates that stumbling block with a bit of a time investment up front. Imagine opening your google calendar each day to see exactly what you need to do to move the needle on your goals. The specific steps you need to take to make your goal inevitable will be right there in front of you just waiting for you to take action! There is no time wasting, no procrastination, no distraction - just results, results, results!
The best part about this step is it keeps you on track and let’s you know if you need to change the course or pivot. If your actions aren’t getting you the results you want, it might be time to re-examine those actions and see if they are the most meaningful way to get the outcome you are hoping for.
This step, if done correctly, will get you crystal clear on exactly what needs to be done - and when, making achieving your goal inevitable.
Step 7 - Stay accountable and do the work!
The seventh and final step is by far the hardest! So many of us are professional planners (myself included!). I can use sticky notes, highlighters and my bullet journal until the cows come home - planning out every single detail of an upcoming goal or event. But doing the work is another matter. It means making sacrifices, sometimes doing what you don’t feel like doing, possibly being uncomfortable, vulnerable and exercising discipline.
Here are three ways I keep myself on track when the going gets tough:
Find an accountability partner! Sharing what you are doing (and how you plan to do it) with a friend, co-worker or fellow hustler makes things so much more fun. Compare how your results are going, and see if you can learn from each other. Celebrate wins together and help each other figure out how to navigate when things aren’t going according to plan.
Plan rest and time to recharge. Do not fill your calendar to the brim with “to-do’s” without also including down time, and time to have fun!
Bring in help - I can’t stress enough how helpful a coach can be in this scenario. Helping you stay focused, being supportive during challenges and helping you rebound from defeat is invaluable along the way.
As you keep your head down and do the work remember you are achieving more than just the outcome of your goal. You are becoming the person you need to become to achieve that goal - be it hard working, focused, dedicated, creative, etc. Enjoy the personal development journey as you pursue your goal!
There you have it! Seven simple steps to achieving any goal you may be setting for yourself this year. Remember to keep it meaningful, break it down into results, actions and tasks - and schedule everything so you stay on track. Take regular breaks to rest and recharge and infuse some fun into your pursuits to keep challenging yourself and keep things interesting. And above all - enjoy the journey to becoming the best possible version of yourself as you achieve your goals.
Xx Justine
P.S. Did you miss the free workbook? Here’s the link one last time:
P.S.S. Want something pretty to help you stay motivated? Here’s 6 Free Inspirational Printables you can download now!