With a few days left before the calendar changes, if you’re like most people, you’re reflecting on the good (and bad) of the last twelve months and thinking about what you want to accomplish in the next year.
Whether you’re looking to set some big, hairy, audacious goals or just want to make sure you hit your regular targets, there are a few things you can do to make 2022 your best year ever.
Here are a few of our top tips.
Reflect on the last year with an Annual Blueprint
The first step to making sure that your next year is awesome is taking some time to reflect on the last.
What went well? What didn’t go so well? What were your biggest accomplishments? And most importantly, what did you learn from all of it?
One great way to do this reflection is by going through an Annual Blueprint Exercise.
This is a document where you reflect on the different areas of your life – personal, professional, financial, etc. – and then you set goals for the coming year in each of those areas.
This is more than just a simple goal-setting exercise, though. The Blueprint attaches emotions to them.
So, for example, if you want to save more money in the coming year, your goal might be “save $X each month,” but your Blueprint emotion would be “peace of mind.”
This way, when you’re struggling to make that tough decision about whether or not to buy that new gadget, you can refer back to your Blueprint and be reminded of why you’re trying to save money in the first place.
Set a BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal)
One of the questions in the Annual Roadmap is: “What is your big, hairy, audacious goal (BHAG) for the year?”
A BHAG is a goal that’s so big, you’re not 100% sure how it’ll get done.
The point of the BHAG isn’t to make sure you hit your goal (although sometimes they do). The idea behind this question is to encourage growth and reflection about what really matters most in life for YOU.
Maybe your BHAG is learning a new language. Or expanding your business into an unfamiliar market. Or to travel to five new countries.
The key is that it’s something you really want, and it’s big enough that it’ll make you stretch outside of your comfort zone.
Set Goals That Scare You
While your BHAG should be big enough to make you nervous, it doesn’t need to completely terrify you.
Your goals can stretch you without making you want to run away screaming (although sometimes they do). At the same time, though, if everything seems easy and risk-free or too small of a goal for you, it’s time to raise the stakes.
Goals that scare you a little force you to step up and really challenge yourself.
They make you think about what’s possible if you really put your mind to it. And they remind you that progress isn’t always linear – there will be times when you feel like you’re not making any progress at all.
But progress is still being made, even in the times when it doesn’t feel like it.
Create a 6-Month Plan
The Annual Blueprint is all about setting goals for the year, but it’s also important to put a timeframe on those goals.
That’s where the six-month plan comes in. This is a document where you map out your goals for the next six months and what you’ll need to do to achieve them.
This way, you’re not just blindly stumbling towards your goal without any idea of what you need to do or how long it’ll take to get there.
When you break down your goals into smaller pieces and put a timeframe on them, it’s easier to stay motivated throughout the year as you work towards what really matters most in your life.
Execute
The final step in making sure that your next year is awesome? Execution.
This means actually doing the work to achieve your goals, not just sitting around dreaming about them.
It’s easy to get bogged down by everyday life and forget what’s important to you.
But if you have a plan – and you’re actively working towards your goals – it’s a lot harder to forget why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Personally, I like to ask myself daily “what’s the one thing I can do today that would move me one step closer to my goal?”
That way, no matter how small the action is, I’m still moving forward. And if you keep doing it day in and day out? You’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish.
So what are you waiting for? Click here to get started on your Annual Blueprint exercise. And remember, progress isn’t always linear. So don’t be afraid of the occasional setback and keep working towards your goals anyway!
Happy New Year and good luck on reaching your goals!