New Year’s Resolutions never work…do you know why? It’s simple. Most people never take the time to set their intention to achieve those goals. They are just wishful thinking at the stroke of midnight chiming in the New Year. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can take a new approach to goal setting and make your life more productive and manageable!
I have an annual ritual I follow as one year comes to an end and the next year approaches. During the month of December, I take time to reflect. I ask myself several questions to evaluate what kind of impact I made during the previous twelve months. I evaluate my failures (lessons learned) and accomplishments and look to the future to see how I can apply those lessons and make a deeper impact in the coming months.
Do you have a year-end ritual you follow to evaluate your outcomes for each year? If not, it’s not too late to start the year off on new footing. I’d highly recommend taking time to reflect on where you have been and where you want to be at the end of 2018 before you start planning.
As I look at planning, these are some of the key questions I ask myself and areas I focus on as I block out my time for each quarter.
1. Mindset – Did I choose a growth or fixed mindset? As I have been reflecting over the past twelve months, I have come to realize that intentionally choosing my mindset is the biggest contributing factor to my successes.
2017 was a year of skinned knees and expansive growth in my business. Choosing a growth mindset allowed me to incorporate new strategies and see opportunities that I might otherwise have missed.
2. Planning – How efficiently did I spend my time? Just like the old saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.” I have tried using an electronic calendar, but it really doesn’t work for me. There is something about intentionally writing out my activities. I seem to have more ownership in what I say I’m going to accomplish.
When I start planning out each new year, I begin with the end in mind. This goes back to my business plan. What programs am I planning to offer and what content do I want to create? Before I can plan, I need to be really clear about my objectives. Once I have that all sorted out, I start plugging in in launch dates, then work backwards. I can then fill in the deadlines for all of the individual pieces and look at the proper sequence for getting each task done.
Looking at the entire year helps keep the overall plan in perspective and reduces overwhelm. Looking at the entire year’s launches also allows me to evaluate my financial goals and cash flow.
3. Goals – What did I do well / What could I do better? These questions help me see if I am playing too small. If I hit all of my goals, it probably doesn’t have to do with how efficient or productive I was, it is a clear indication that I was playing too small. As I set my goals each year, I want them to be just out of reach so I can stretch and grow into the dreams in my heart.
As I look at the circle of life, I set goals for each category in my life so I can plan out growth in all areas of my life. As an entrepreneur, I work hard, but I also like to play hard and spend plenty of time with friends and family. I make sure to include those goals in my yearly calendaring plan.
4. Words – Did I breathe life into others? Intentionality doesn’t only have to do with actions, it also has to do with words we use. This past year, I set an intentional to say something kind in each conversation I had. It was amazing to see how kind words changed the day for the person at the grocery store or the waiter at the restaurant. People are so accustomed to hearing negative comments, they are shocked when they hear something nice.
Our words have power and the words we choose and build up or tear down someone’s spirit. Showing gratitude and appreciation with our words changes the way we interface in our world. What we choose to see in others can change what they see in themselves.
I also believe that the written word holds power, so I take time monthly to send out handwritten notes of appreciation to family, friends, contractors and clients. Sending letters is a lost art in our world of instant gratification. People really appreciate a note they can file and go back to when they have a hard day.
5. Value – How did I impact my community/tribe? Each year in my business I give back 20% of my time to my community by serving others through mentorship. As I look back over the past year, I created new partnerships that offer new ways to collaborate and give back next year.
As I solidify my plans for volunteering, I plug those dates in to my calendar so I have time to prepare and plan for making an impact that will change lives.
Intentionality is a life changer. It allows us to look at our whole life when we consider our business goals. Setting priorities for how we choose to spend our time allows us to live out our values and live in harmony.
As you consider your goals for 2018, look at activities that are non-negotiables for you and put them on the calendar. Be intentional with how you spend your time, so you have more quality time to be present in your life and in your business.
To your success!
Anza Goodbar is a serial entrepreneur. She has owned several multi-million dollar companies over the course of her career. Her most recent adventure includes being a certified coach, trainer and speaker. She serves solo-preneurs and family-owned businesses through 1:1 and group coaching, online classes and strategy sessions. Her expertise is in creating business systems, entrepreneurial mindset, strategizing and goal setting. www.anzagoodbar.com
