Verified by 
Motivation
How to Set Goals
Don't let next year be like all the others.
Posted December 26, 2023 Reviewed by Ray Parker
It’s that time when we get all excited about new possibilities and everything we want to change about ourselves and our lives. This is wonderful. Keep this feeling. Hold it. Bottle it up. It’s fuel. But feelings alone don’t accomplish goals. You know that from all the other years.
You need structure and a system. Enthusiasm alone is flipped sand in an hourglass. There is a ticking clock before fear and doubt kick in, and you don’t set yourself up for new experiences that shift your thinking and change your beliefs.
But first, let’s pull back and start with your 30,000-foot view. It’s important to have a North Star. This is your three-year vision. Not your five-year plan. Five is too far, especially today when things can change so fast.
The 30,000-foot view exercise.
Imagine your life in three years. No, you didn’t win the lottery. But you did not allow fear and doubt to stop you this time. You actually finished something. You have built something. You have accomplished the goals you set out to. A steady evolution has been happening in your life, internally and externally, and, of course, sprinkled with some miracles. And this vision is the manifestation of that.
Slowly, see the vision come into focus. What are you doing? Where do you live? Are you in the hills? On the beach? In the mountains? Maybe you have two homes? Who are you choosing to love? What does that look and feel like? Don’t just imagine it; feel it in your body. Who are your friends? How do they make you feel?
Again, don’t just see it. Feel it. Feel you walking around the home that you see yourself in. Feel yourself in your work. Maybe you finally finished that book you’ve always wanted to write and started that company? Have you executed that idea? What does it feel like to finally accomplish what you want for yourself?
Now, write it down. Keep it on your phone. Sit with it often before you go to bed. When you wake up, let it soak into your subconscious. Leave it in your back pocket. You will take it out often this year, using it as your north star.
Now, let’s talk about how goals are accomplished.
Vision ← Goals ← Strategy / System ← Habits / Rituals.
Everything starts with a vision. Then, you set macro and micro goals that create that vision. Your goals should be S.M.A.R.T., which I will get into in a second. Then, you need some strategy, system, or program to run through your daily habits and rituals to execute your goals. Your daily habits and rituals (building blocks) will be the engine moving you toward your vision.
Wealth / Work.
What are your goals for your work and career? What do you want to accomplish this year? Build another revenue stream? Pursue your passion? Break your old record in sales? Or maybe your goal is to explore what you really want to do.
Health / Fitness.
What are your health and fitness goals, diet, and nutrition goals? What are your goals in connecting to your body more? Don’t judge your goals right now. As we tighten the vice and go through the process, you may lose or rethink some of your goals.
Social / Friendships.
What kind of friends do you want to invest in this year? Do you want more friends? Less friends? Do you want to change the dynamic of your friendships? Are some friends sucking your energy? Are you outgrowing some of your friends? What do you want your social life to look and feel like?
Love / Relationships.
What are your goals for your relationship? Or if you’re not in one, what goals do you have for yourself to bring more to the table when you find someone who deserves you? What new love experiences do you want to give yourself? How do you want to change your thinking? What do you need to process to remove residue from previous relationships? How do you want to love?
Self Enrichment.
How do you want to improve yourself this year? Do you want to go on more retreats? Read more books? Is there anything you need to process or resolve so it doesn’t hold you back from being a better version of yourself so that you can accomplish your goals?
Now, put all your goals through a S.M.A.R.T. strainer.
- (S) specific,
- (M) measurable,
- (A) attainable,
- (R) relevant,
- (T) time-sensitive.
The more specific, measurable, attainable, relevant—lining up with your 30,000-foot view and time-sensitive your goals are, the better chance you will have at accomplishing them.
If your goals are vague, unmeasurable, unrealistic, or relevant to your story with no ticking clock, you have nothing to work with. You have nothing to build on. Make your goals as S.M.A.R.T. as possible.
Turn your goals into a lifestyle. That’s how you set yourself up for success. There’s no other way. Your goals shouldn’t be separate from your life. They should be integrated. I’m not saying to lose your life. I’m saying your goals are a part of your life. Most people see their goals as separate from their lives, and the goals become short-lived.
Without a strong why, your grip on your goals will loosen. They will take a back seat and eventually fade. Two questions to ask yourself. Why is this goal important to you and your story? And does it line up with your 30,000-foot view or three-year plan?
Your whys will always be our strongest driving force in accomplishing your goals. And the more your why is greater than you, the more traction and drive you will have in accomplishing your goals. Which why gives you the most internal drive? When you make things greater than you, you have less fear because fear is the greatest when it’s about you.
