The new year is such a great time for do-overs, fresh starts, and new beginnings. I love the way the new year feels. BUT as we all know, many goals and resolutions are set in January, then abandoned by March! You need an action plan to set good goals and stick with them.

A couple years ago I made one resolution. Just one. You can read my 1 and only New years resolution. I am still working on that one every day! And as you know 2020 didn’t go as planned for most of us, which may have also left unmet goals.

I’ve been starting to think about what I want for 2021 and am setting goals using a few practical tips.

Specific, measurable goals

Every year “eat healthy” is on my list. What does that even mean? Ask 5 people and you will get 5 different answers. Vegetarian. Keto. No dairy. Low sugar. You get the idea! So set a specific, measurable goal. Instead of “eat healthy” set a goal to “eat 3 servings of fruits and veggies each day and limit sweet treats to 1 per week”

Lofty but realistic

Lofty goals are great because they give you something to strive for. But if you set an unrealistic goal you will constantly be defeated because you fall short. If you currently make $50,000 a year but your goal is a million dollars a year, you better have a plan! Because that is not very realistic and is impossible without some changes (or an extremely rad lottery winning)

Write down your goals and read them frequently

I love to write things down. Some may find this super weird in today’s world, and others know exactly what I mean! I am more likely to remember something that I write on paper than a note on my phone. Go old school with me and write down your goals. Then, read them! The more I read my goals, the more motivation I have to work toward them.

Check in on your progress

Last year around August I did a check in on my goals. Surprisingly, I was doing a lot better than I thought. Some areas were easier than others. I could tell right away which good habits were sticking and which ones need a little more love. I made a few adjustments and refocused.

Use these tips to create a great plan for the new year and have a great 2021!