I've always enjoyed making resolutions for the new year. Although, my resolutions aren't just things I want to do (or don't want to do). I try to make my resolutions be real goals. I'm a big fan of
Dave Ramsey, and he helps people set goals on his radio talk show all the time. According to Dave,
"For a goal to work, it has to have five components. It must:
- Be specific
- Be measurable
- Have a time limit
- Be yours
- Be in writing
I'm not sure if Dave actually came up with this list...I would guess not. You can hear him talk about goals by going
here. It seems simple, but most people who set new years goals just say something like, "I want to lose weight". It's a great thought, but it's not actually a goal. I guess if you lost one pound during the following year you would have achieved your "goal" but it's not a very good goal because it doesn't have the five components.
In addition to the five components, I also like to make goals for different areas of my life. I like to make spiritual goals, health/body goals, financial goals, family goals and business goals. You could also have reading goals, education goals, marriage goals, etc. I like making categories because it makes my life seem a little more balanced.
So why am I writing about New Year's goals mid-December? Because now is the time to start thinking about them. What do you want to accomplish next year? I'm a planner, so I like to start coming up with my goals and a plan to meet these goals before the year begins. While some people can come up with their resolutions in a few seconds before the clock strikes midnight, I think those are typically the people who don't achieve their goals. So start thinking now about what you want to accomplish in 2012. Make sure they meet the 5 components, and then set a plan to achieve those goals!
Need some help keeping your goals? Here are some links to pretty ways to keep your goals where you can see them!
