What’s the Wildly Important Goal you Plan to Achieve This year?
A year from now. The goal you set achieved.
Imagine the possibilities.
For those who are goal-setters and resolution writers by nature, the New Year is our favourite time of the year. January provides an exciting “Fresh Start” for our next chapter.
Katy Milkman, my favorite “change guru,” notes that temporal landmarks like New Year’s create psychological reset points, AKA “Fresh Starts,” that motivate people to pursue goals, make positive changes, and leave past failures behind. So, even if you are not by nature a goal-setter – this is a great time to consider becoming one!
Those of us with a bias for goal setting take the process seriously – if we commit to something, share it, or write it down, we will do it. We may have difficulty adjusting the goal once we’ve committed, even if circumstances require it. (This explains why athletes train while injured, for example, but that’s another post.)
Goals provide a North Star to focus on. You don’t have to follow one path to the North Star, but if you wander off, refocusing on the Star, your goal, helps you get back on track.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
Achieving a goal requires a series of decisions and trade-offs—to say YES to one goal and focus your attention and resources, you must choose to say NO to something else.
Achieving your goals requires a framework, plan, and discipline. The framework is built with actions you repeat with discipline; you get stronger and develop muscle memory until you have a habit. Your action to achieve your goal may involve not doing something. All of this requires a little planning. Your plan may include sharing it with a friend (or a coach) who can help motivate you or hold you accountable.
Goals may involve competition from a sales target to an endurance race. Sometimes, the competition is with yourself –you are a worthy and best competitor. I’ve been reminded more than once that not everything is a competition and not every comparator is helpful. Think about this one – as it’s a derailer for many, especially those who identify as type A.
Most goals involve learning something new, whether at the heart of the goal or an ancillary benefit. (For example, Anyone who climbs a mountain learns more than mountaineering skills.) There is always a bonus lesson or two.
I declare I am biased toward setting goals—OK, it’s a passion. This made the transition to coaching the logical career choice. After all, coaches on the field and in the board room get paid to help people set and achieve goals. They are observers and listeners who use their knowledge and experience to support or advise.
Confirmation bias causes me to notice information at reinforces my perspective on the value of goal setting. This includes the fact that setting goals makes people happy. Research indicates that setting more ambitious goals makes us even happier. All this happiness before you even achieve your goal!
Think of a goal. Can you imagine what it feels like when you’re working towards it? Can you imagine what it looks like when you’ve achieved it? What’s changed?
I get it; without setting any new challenging goals for 2025, your life is likely quite full. Here is the thing: We make time for important things. If you set a goal that’s important to you and commit to it, focus on it, and make it a priority, it will fit into this busy schedule. If you don’t…a year will still pass. Those colleagues or friends who decided to run a marathon, acquire a new credential, get healthy, sit on a community board, become fluent in a new language, or climb Kilimanjaro – have full lives too.
So, if you haven't done it already, make a couple of New Year’s resolutions or set a Wildly Important Goal for 2025. Write it down, tell a friend, or reach out if you need help and are new to this.
You won’t regret it.
