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Are you kicking 2021 off by setting fresh goals? Good call – having goals can help you stay focused and get so much more out of the new year.

Goals give life meaning, direction and purpose, and help you get out of bed with enthusiasm every single day.

While it’s important to enjoy the journey and find fulfillment in the present moment without waiting for something external to make you happy, having a results-oriented mindset can also enhance your life and career.

Results matter and a goal-oriented mindset helps teach that. That’s a very crucial lesson to learn because a lot of people like to say it’s just the journey that matters, but no, arriving at the destination actually matters too. Who you become is important but getting there is as crucial too.

Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned elements, you may run into challenges. To resolve this very issue, I wrote my book “The Breakthrough Accelerator - Resolve your Biggest Challenge in 4 weeks”- Receive a Free download of this book by Clicking this Link

But don’t shoot yourself in the foot. Making mistakes during the process of goal setting can backfire and discourage you. Here are some simple ideas to set yourself on the path to setting meaningful goals for the New Year.

No timelines. Without a timeline, it’s so easy for a goal to fall to the side. The biggest common mistake is that people don’t give their goals deadlines.

Without a deadline, it’s just a dream, it’s just an idea. We need to create urgency and work against the clock, and there needs to be a consequence for not achieving the goal. Assess your goals. Are they things that you want to have achieved by the very end of the new year? Or are there some goals on the list that will most likely be accomplished by mid-year? Estimating how much time you’re giving yourself for tackling your various objectives will ensure you keep your eyes on the finish line.

Zero Accountability. There are three types of accountability: self-accountability (telling yourself that you’re going to accomplish something), coach accountability (hiring a coach to work with you), and public or peer accountability.

Peer accountability is the most important one because it’s about mentioning your goals to people you don’t want to disappoint. The most powerful way to set goals is to tell a best friend or someone you truly do not want to let down. Without factoring in mechanisms for staying accountable is a mistake you’ll want to avoid if you want to be successful.

Be well-rounded. Glorifying hustle culture and burnout is so yesterday. When setting goals, it’s important to favor well-roundedness over single-mindedness.

You would not want to be a one-dimensional human being, you want to set goals in your physical life, intellectual life (which can be related to your career, mindset or growth), relational/emotional life (could be goals you want to set with your spouse or family members), and spiritual life.

From health and fitness to career and relationships, think of the areas of your life you want to give attention to in the coming year. And avoid falling into the pitfall of focusing on one area at the detriment of others.

Avoid being vague. Don’t make the mistake of being too vague or conceptual. Starting with broad intentions is a great way to find more clarity around what you want to do in the next year, but don’t stop there.

Become a big believer in smart, concrete goals instead of conceptual goals. Memorizing 52 Bible verses over the course of the year is a clear and smart goal. And, so is earning $10K per month or getting down to 8% body fat.
People who say, ‘I want to be more thoughtful’ need to add a tangible action to the goal. What kind of measurable result would help you identify in an instant whether you successfully achieved a goal? Take a moment to reflect on your goals and ask yourself whether they are concrete and easy to track and measure or whether it would be best to flesh them out a little bit further.

With these simple yet unique ideas, you are better prepared and ready to face the challenges of the New Year. Believe in yourself!