7 Goal Setting Tips for Success for the Holidays and New Year

The year 2021 is almost at an end and we are at the height of the holiday season as people finalize their travel plans, prepare for family gatherings, and fret over whether their presents will arrive on time. To help you combat any stress over the holidays, we shared on our instagram last week useful tips on managing feelings of holiday stress and overwhelm.

In this post, we are going to share with you another useful method to help you navigate through the holidays and into the new year – goal setting.

Why is setting goals important?

Goal setting is an effective way of getting you laser-focused on a path of your choice, which helps you develop a great sense of personal satisfaction and purpose in life. Setting goals also helps you reduce stress and overwhelm as you clarify what things you can focus on and what things you can let go of.

How do you keep your goals?

Keeping goals can be a challenge. Setting vague or unreasonable goals are two of the main reasons many people fail to meet their goals. We share below the only seven tips you need to achieve just about any of your life goals.

Tip #1. Pick your most meaningful goals.

Unfortunately, we don’t have an endless amount of time, but we DO have enough time to do the things that are MOST important to us. One of the first steps with goal setting is to determine which goals are most meaningful to you.

To figure out your most meaningful goals ask yourself this question — if you were writing your eulogy, what would be the top 3 things you would most regret never having done?

Tip #2. Plan the S.M.A.R.T. way.

You need a plan to help you accomplish your goals. But not just any plan, a S.M.A.R.T one — meaning a plan with a specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-sensitive goal. Having an endpoint and a way to measure when a goal has been achieved, and making sure the goal is reasonable given your specific circumstances is crucial to goal setting.

Tip #3. Write your goals down.

Writing your goals down helps to keep you focused on what your priorities really are in your days. Everytime you’re overwhelmed by all of the things fighting for your time and attention, look at your goals and choose the things most in alignment with your most meaningful goals.

Tip #4. Reward yourself

Don’t just rush into the next goal as soon as you’ve accomplished one. Instead, plan a reward for completing your goal. Is it a new purse, or maybe a massage? How will you treat yourself for making such a huge accomplishment?

Tip #5. Find an accountability partner

Sharing your goals with a positive partner can help, especially if you both are working through the same goal together. Checking in with someone can be motivating to help you push forward on accomplishing your goal.

Tip #6. Eat the elephant . . .

How do you eat the elephant? One bite at a time. Setting S.M.A.R.T goals is one way to do it, but also remember to give yourself grace. If your goal feels too overwhelming, it probably is. Revisit the S.M.A.R.T method and see if the goal you set is lacking in any area, specifically whether it's realistic or achievable as planned.

Tip #7. Practice daily visualization and reflection.

Practicing visualization is a powerful method to get your mind fully aligned with your goals. With visualization, every single path towards your goal becomes clearer as your brain constantly searches for ways to connect the dots between your present and your future vision. Practice visualization daily, and also reflect to see how you can better align your daily actions with your goals and vision.

When to practice goal setting?

If you want to live a life with intention, a smart goal-setting plan is part of the equation, you can and should practice goal-setting every single day. During the holidays, simple yet important goals can include making plans to manage stress and overwhelm.

One major goal popular around this time of year is a New Year’s resolution, which can mentally serve as a great opportunity to start afresh on your vision. But goal setting doesn’t have to wait until then. Start practicing your goal setting skills today using the tips above.

So, what’s your number one goal this week? Comment below and let us know.