It is always good to look back and see how far we have come, especially at the beginning of the year. But above all it is a good time to set goals for the year ahead. And here it is not about New Year’s resolutions like “I’d like to eat less chocolate or exercise more”! This is about specific and measurable targets. How far do you want to come? What actually do you want to develop, improve or change this year? What does it need to achieve these goals?
In recent years, I have not met too many people who have set very specific goals for themselves. Most of them let life go by as it comes. However, when you set personal goals, it will actually help you to work on them, to pursue and reach them. Whether you want to obtain a PhD degree until your 40s, to publish a book, move to your favorite city or find a specific job at the company of your choice – all these objectives, even the least important ones, need to be prepared in order to be able to implement and reach them. If you do not plan the necessary steps in a timely and consistent fashion, you will have to admit in the end that you have not achieved the goal(s) you set for the year.
Your goals may even be a little bit crazy. Start dreaming! And try to make your dreams come true. If you feel that a year is too long or short for achieving your goals, simply define shorter-term or longer-term objectives. The important thing is that you always follow them and stay focused.
So, take a quiet moment for yourself and write down a handful of objectives for 2017! Otherwise, time simply goes by and someday you’ll wake up and realize that you have not reached your personal goals. Some people would use the term ‘lost years’… although this is certainly not entirely true…
Author: Ann-Katrin Hardenberg, THE MAK’ED TEAM
