How to Set Goals for 2021
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you don’t reach it, you will land amongst the stars” (Les Brown)
Who would have thought in 2019 when you were writing down your goals, that 2020 would turn out just like it did? If one thing 2020 has taught us, is that you cannot predict the future, and you should not take anything for granted. Moving forward, to 2021, some people might question the very purpose of goal setting.
As most of us are terrified of what lies ahead, some others are anxious for a new start. In brief, there are but two ways to approach goal setting for 2021:
1. Approach the new year with the belief that nothing matters, as nothing is certain. Just roll over, and let the year pass by, and hopefully it will not be any worse than the year that has just passed.
2. You can approach this year as your “Redemption” Year. Think of all the things you have lost in 2020. From time with your friends, finances, opportunities, employment… and say that this year it is time to make up for all that was lost!
If you are approaching goal setting for 2021 with the 2nd approach, then you are one of the people that will make things happen this year, regardless of circumstances and situations, and here are my two tips on how to set these goals effectively and crush them:
1. Be "SPECIFIC" with your goal setting
2. Have a strong "WHY" for your goals
People are often afraid to be specific with their goals, because by being specific it means you provide the criteria for success or failure. Other people will know when you have failed to reach your goals, and that terrifies us, hence why we keep a vague list of goals. The problem with vague goals, is that we do not know if we have really achieved them, or not. Approaching goal setting for 2021, we need to be able to have specific goals written down so we can measure up against them as we determine our own criteria for success or failure. Specific goals, need specific actions, at specific times, to give specific results, hence why goal setting should be as specific as possible.
Setting Goals doesn’t have to be a complicated process, nor a difficult one. In fact, it should clearly and only be predicated on ONE thing… and that is … your "Why"! Your “Why” should be stronger than any excuses, and circumstances. Your “Why” is your purpose, and it is where you see and find meaning. Therefore, set your goals, and write next to them your “Why”! This will allow you to dig deep into your own frame of mind and filter out all the other goals you think might have been important, and instead, shift your attention to the ones that matter, the ones whose “Why” is stronger!
Thank you for taking the time to read this. How would you go about approaching goal setting for 2021?