Setting achievable New Years goals isn’t something that everybody does. Each January we talk about New Years resolutions, most about losing weight and becoming a better person. But as we know, those resolutions are often forgotten about by February. Having short term goes are great! But it’s important that when you set goals they need to be achievable.
My names Olivia from olivialucieblake.com. I am a lifestyle blogger who shares tips and tricks about life, the world and everything in-between. I’m so thankful for this opportunity to write for Jenny today! I hope you like the post and don’t forget to visit my blog when you’re finished here! Over there you can find loads of helpful life advice and blogging tips too. You can also find me on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
A while ago I made a deal with myself that I wouldn’t set New Years resolutions, but instead set achievable goals each year. Whether big or small! Hello!
Here are 3 handy tips for setting achievable New Years goals:
Set smaller goals first
Often when you are goal setting it’s natural for us to want to set and achieve those massive goals first. But, in my experience I have found it can set yourself up for failure by doing that. Those big goals can feel like mountains that are impossible to move. Sometimes when I do have a big goal, I split it into smaller more manageable goals.
Next year I’m planning on running a half marathon. That is the goal. But my smaller more manageable goals are to train 3 times a week. Slowly increase my running time and to become overall fitter in the process. So instead of my goal just being to run the half marathon, its split into small goals. I find that doing this helps it not to feel like such a challenge.
Don’t set yourself up for failure
When people set goals, a lot of time they set unrealistic goals. Something they know will be near impossible to achieve. Personally, I don’t see any benefit in doing this. You are setting yourself up for failure. And with failure come all of those negative feelings of not being good enough and feeling like you can’t do anything.
Make sure you are setting achievable New Years goals. And not something you know will be impossible for you to achieve. Think about how much better it will feel achieving them!
Plan them out
The key thing to do when setting goals for the year is planning them out. Spread them out throughout the year so that you don’t become over loaded. Maybe even set daily goals. A goal doesn’t just need to be long term!
Planning is an important part of the process and that way you can fit these achievable New Years goals into your life. The last thing you want to do is plan a goal when you know you don’t have time to pay attention to it.
Have you set any achievable New Years goals yet? What are they?
Thanks again to Jenny for this opportunity to write on your blog today. I hope everybody likes my advice on setting achievable New Years goals!
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Excellent post! We need to be kind to ourselves as we set our goals…open-minded to new ideas as they come along, and patient with our progress.
Totally agree!
This year is all about setting goals with a plan. I definitely encourage everyone on my platform to do that. I love this post!
https://www.comfycozyup.com
Thank you 🙂
I found the best thing is to say no to goals that I know I can’t achieve and also I allow myself to be flexible with my goals and review them regularly. If a goal is too easy, I stretch it and if I goal isn’t working for me then I change it so it does.
Corinne x
Absolutely – I do the same!
I have set a goal for myself and that’s to be more consistent in everything I do. I truly hope that I will look back at this year and be proud of my consistency.
http://www.journeyspeaks.co.za
Good luck!
I love this advice so much! It’s nice to set realistic goals for yourself and not set yourself up for failure. Thanks so much for sharing!
Totally agree x
Good tips! We often “fail” because we set the bar too high. Small, achievable goals will get us farther ahead.
Totally agree!
I do like the thought of small, manageable goals. I usually set lofty goals that I don’t hit which usually leads to me not setting more goals. Thanks for the post!
Definitely start breaking them down! It’ll make the world of difference! 🙂
Daily goal-setting is where it’s at for me. Things become more urgent when I make my plans on a shorter timescale rather than looking at years and thinking I have all the time in the world. Yet another great post. Thanks for this!
Good point! I don’t really set daily goals as such, I just keep daily to-do lists (which I suppose you could argue are the same thing!)
Great post!
As always Jenny you’re laying the truth bombs on us! I really need to sit down and set myself some wee monthly goals. As much as I love having a long term plan, I also find that short term works too and keep me focused.
Not my post, I can’t take credit for this! But Olivia definitely makes some excellent points 🙂
It’s a very inspiring post! My problem is that I want to do a lot of things, so for every day I plan a detailed list of activity, tasks, committees, work to do, but then at the end of the day I only complete few of them, and sometimes it’s so frustrating. So my main goal for this year is right, as you suggested, to set smaller goals, and focus on few things to be done well. I hope I will feel more satisfied 🙂
xx Dasynka
http://dasynka.com/
I can definitely relate to that. Sometimes I want to do more than the hours in the day will allow me to!
These are great tips, especially the idea of setting smaller, more achievable goals. One of mine this year was to get back into an exercise routine. But I made it specific, too, by planning to go to a boxing class with my boyfriend. One class – which I’ve done – and now that I’ve “achieved” that it seems far more manageable to try and incorporate a routine.
That’s amazing and a great way to get back into exercise and achieve that goal!
So true! These are the things to do to make your new Year goals alive. I like tip no.1 the most. Challenge yourself but by bit. It motivates you to work harder and harder. Thank you for sharing.
Totally agree!
I try to set myself a small goals throughout the year which I know are achievable. I’ve learnt to not keep setting this unrealistic goals as I always end up angry and disappointed with myself. This is a really handy blogpost, thank you so much for sharing lovely Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
Yes same, I always get so frustrated at myself when I set goals which are too unrealistic!
Really good ideas set forward by Olivia – and she’s definitely a blogger you want to listen to and take notice of because she has some really engaging ideas!
I think it’s easy to get carried away with goal-setting and end up burning out – I like the idea of starting small and ticking boxes before you move on!
Yes I agree. There’s more to life than hitting all your goals all the time to the point where you don’t think about anything else. But splitting them up into smaller things makes it easier to add into your every day life!
I try to set bite size goals for myself that amount to larger goals and I’m usually so on it for the start of a new year. This year, I didn’t set any goals or resolutions, COVID took so much from all of us, my goal this year is to be grateful for what I’ve got and be happy
Rosie
That’s an amazing goal to have for the year Rosie!
Yup, small manageable goals that aren’t earth shattering….its the way forward
Totally!
This is the first year I actually have what I call outlines. I have decided on going at least once a month to the theater ( depending on CoV conditions, of course), being more conscious of my reading as I tend to use it as a cover when my mental health is not that great and that is not really helping me, and also being more conscious of my resources, time spent on social media, energy spent on projects and money spent on books. I tend to grab more than I can hold whenever I make plans/ accept responsibilities and leave my own well-being somewhere in the back, which is why my main goal this year is trying to be more conscious and pay attention to my behaviors and patterns.
Sounds like you’ve got some excellent goals and intentions for this year!
I think so many people can self-sabotage and set themselves up for failure. They set strict, hard resolutions and find them too much of a change.
In the past I’d set something like Lose Weight and now I’m setting Move Every Day. It’s more encouraging, it’s more achievable, and honestly it’s more enjoyable. I’ve done at least thirty minutes of Pilates every day and I’ve looked forward to it.
I also have a daily goal of Read A Page of A Book. It’s so so easy and it sets me up with a win every day. It only takes a minute or so to read a page of a book and I tend to carry on reading.
Cora | https://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk/
I love this! Yes, I’m doing a workout program right now with the main goal as “move your body every day”. It’s much more manageable and allows you to actually have fun with it!