As we all ushered in 2024 a few weeks ago, many of us started the new year bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, eager to set new goals both personally and professionally and work towards achieving exciting new feats and levels of success.
But if this is the second, third, or fourth straight year you’ve made the same resolutions maybe it’s time to reevaluate what you’re working towards and maybe it is time to create a new approach or path if nothing has worked in years past. Especially when it comes to business, we all know that a goal without a plan is just an idea or a dream, and while dreams are amazing it’s especially important that there are actionable items so you can achieve what it is you set out to do.
If each year, when the clock strikes twelve, you’re committing to the same business (or life) goal as last year, ask yourself why you haven’t got that target yet and evaluate your answer. Remember to be honest with yourself.
Is your goal too big? While I don’t necessarily believe any goal is too big, so ask yourself if your goal is achievable or if are you deliberately choosing or setting out-of-reach goals to protect yourself from failing. Classic perfectionists move.
If that sounds like you and you find yourself always struggling to maintain the excitement, motivation, and vigour you start every new year, I’ve got one piece of advice for you.
Break your personal and professional resolutions (or any goal for that matter) into smaller more manageable action items. Each action item is a small stair on your bigger journey to achieve the goals that you set for yourself and your business. This will help prevent you from becoming overwhelmed and feeling defeated which can often throw you off kilter a few weeks into your new plan of action when you often aren’t seeing the results you craved, and doubt start to fill your mind and begin the process of giving up as you have done in the past.
Maybe 2024 is the year you finally don’t give up, on your resolutions or yourself. Maybe this year you stay focused on your goals by taking a step back when you look at the big picture and where you want to be professionally and personally, by just focusing on the one small steps in front of you, achieve them one at a time and the bigger goals will fall into place and you will be setting new goals and achievements.
And don’t forget, January 1st isn’t the only time you can set new goals and achievements or dream new dreams for yourself and your business. Every morning that you wake up is a brand new chance to create a new resolution for yourself and sometimes the biggest changes come from ideas or dreams that come to be on a random Tuesday afternoon in April.
Don’t give up on yourself. You’ve got this!
by Shannon Ferguson