Write Effective Goals for the New Year

Write Effective Goals

When we write effective goals they set the course for our success. As we look toward the future, they are what give us direction in each season. Effective goals are the rudder in our sailboat, guiding and directing the course of our lives personally and professionally. Therefore, it is crucial to set goals that will be effective in all areas of our life.

During a recent trip to New York City, I found myself sitting in an airplane, wishing the seats were larger and there was a bit more space for my legs. After reality set in – in the form of a cramped seat – I diverted my attention to my boarding pass. That’s when it struck me…

It occurred to me that a boarding pass represents the information needed to set effective, personal goals.

The boarding pass contained my name, “where I am now” and “where I am going.” It listed my boarding and departure date and time, my seat number, and other valuable information.

You might say that living without properly set personal goals is a lot like walking through the airport, intent on flying somewhere but having no boarding pass.

Do not Wander Aimlessly

If you feel like you are wandering through life without the proper direction, there’s hope!

People who take the time to explicitly set goals and resolutions are ten times more likely to attain them than those who don’t make the effort. Share on X

It is easy to get carried away with our own personal or professional goals. We can start to orient our hearts and minds toward external goals. However, we see that when our first goal is to please God, there is an alignment in the spiritual and physical reality as seen in 2 Corinthians 5:9,

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

May we all work towards pleasing the Lord first as we look toward this next year.

In my previous three articles, I suggested that you:

Pause and reflect by asking, “Where have I been? and “Where am I now?”
Dream and use six key “principles” to think as you are asking yourself “Where am I going?”
Get more done by using five tips to guide your thinking about your

I often heard my good friend and mentor say…

“If you don’t know where you are going… …

any path will get you there, …

but you won’t realize if you’re lost, …

you won’t know what time you’ll arrive, …

you won’t know the dimensions of your challenge, …

others won’t understand how they could help, …

and since you could pass right by without recognizing it, …you won’t get the satisfaction of having arrived!”

–Jim Lundy”

Every person can write the best goals by acting upon these two steps.

Prepare to Write Effective Goals

The following three questions can help you think through and plan out your goals before you write them:

Goals you can Accomplish

What do you want to accomplish? To write effective goals that will set the course for your new year they should meet the following requirements:

Specific – Your goals must identify exactly what you want to accomplish. Do not be vague, you should be able to use numbers to evaluate and measure the outcome.
Actionable – Your goals should lead to an action verb. They also need to be attainable. James Clear in atomic habits says, “goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.” Your goals set the direction but they should also have a clear action plan that makes your goals attainable.
Realistic – Remember you are looking for progress, not perfection. Your goals should be challenging and should stretch you. You should use common sense for the results you want to achieve. This requires honesty with yourself, to know what you and your team are capable of.

Goals you can Measure and Evaluate

This is about measuring. For example: “I want to lose five pounds by [insert date].”

Measurable– You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Be specific about the results you desire. You want to measure your goals to see if you are being active and participating in your goals. Measuring helps us understand and brings clarity to the time we spend and helps us evaluate what is important to us.
Celebrate – You must know when you hit a goal so you can celebrate and reward yourself. This reinforces your successes and will help you repeat

Goals that are Time-Bound

When is your start date and when do you want to finish by (completion date)?

Time-Bound– A goal without a date is just a dream. Make sure that every goal has a start date and completion date because “what gets scheduled gets done.”
Staggered Dates – Pick a goal or two to start in January. Then, perhaps quarterly, begin adding a new goal. This staggered schedule helps you intensify your focus AND prevent burn-out.
Reviews – Regularly review progress so that you stay on course. And celebrate even the smallest milestones. This evaluation will help you determine progress but also if you need to adjust your strategy for the best success.

Time to Write Effective Goals

Writing down your goals is an important step. There is something that emotionally connects us to our goals when we write them down.

Fact: You are 42% more likely to achieve your goals, simply by writing them down! Share on X

Writing your goals down is the first step. It is setting the direction for the year. Writing down how you want to accomplish those goals help you determine how you are going to fulfill those goals. They are your systems for success. This doubles your likelihood of following through on those goals.

For Example: I want to lose 10 pounds within 6 months (specific and measurable), I will do this by eliminating sugar from my diet and working with a personal trainer 2 times a week.

Why don’t you get started? The hardest part of any important task is getting started. Once you begin work on a valuable task, you will be naturally motivated to continue. There is a clear system to accomplish your goals that directs your motivation and intention.

Related, Articles, Videos, and Podcast Episode

Free Live Group Coaching with Q&A for the Whole Community!

To help equip our community of leaders with a better mindset to accomplish their goals and dreams this YEAR.

Coming this January 24, 2023, Bobby Albert, CEO of Values-Driven Culture, will host a FREE and LIVE group coaching experience discussing

“Why Leaders Need To Anchor In Christ During Turbulent Times”

Are you trying to gain traction on your goals for the new year? Are some of those goals already starting to slip?

Join us as we look at how our goals reveal the spiritual condition of our hearts but also impact the physical reality of our personal and professional life. Pausing, reflecting, and evaluating will impact our daily habits, and reveal who we really trust.

Join us on Zoom to:

Hear why Christian leaders shouldn’t make choices out of survival mode or a scarcity mindset.
Receive a FREE personal goal-setting resource that transformed Bobby’s relationships where he lives, works, and plays – and can do the same for you.
Enter this year with steadfast peace and clarity only Christ offers

Footnotes:

University of Scranton: Journal of Clinical Psychology: 1/1/2014: via Statistic Brain
Dominican University of California: Goal Study: Dr. Gail Matthews Ph.D.

Write Effective Goals for the New Year