New year, new me! This is the year when I will turn things around! This is the year I want to give my very best at everything I do! Instead of speaking, I will be DOING! And whatever I do, I do it effectively and systematically. I will prove to myself and everyone else that I am not a dreamer but also a DOER! I am well prepared with my SMART goal list, nothing can go wrong, and nothing can stop me!! Or wait a minute…
How did January get here so fast? Is it time to take action already? Where do I start again? Did I say I will be detoxing in January? I just realized there are only mayo potato salad leftovers in my fridge, and nothing looks green and healthy. And the stores are closed today… I am not prepared at all to take on this challenge!
This scenario has happened to me more than once. Even today, with a very realistic mindset and goals, I am somewhat taken aback every time on January 1st because, let’s be honest, coming out of our comfort zone is not pleasant. All the exciting plans for 2023 suddenly don’t sound exciting at all when it’s time to start taking action. Unless you have a simple action plan, of course 😉.
Why is the action plan a crucial part of your goal-setting process? Because it creates CLARITY. Many of us think we are failing to take any action due to a lack of motivation, but we are likely missing the clarity instead.
Action Plan
Can you answer this question: “When and how am I going to execute what?”. If not, you need an action plan that is simple and to the point. A strategy that is too complicated or too vague will most likely not work out. Preparation is everything, and a simple action plan sets you up for success.
As most of us are visual creatures, I have created a template to illustrate my goal-setting and action plan. You can download them here.
Presuming you already have your goals set for 2023 (if not, check out this post), here are the next steps regarding how to prepare yourself for taking action:
1. For your 3 main goals, set ONE action for each goal you will commit to.
I define an action for each of my three main goals right at the beginning, even before looking at my other goals as it helps me understand how much effort and time I need to invest in the main three goals. I.e., it gives me a reality check before moving on to all other goals.
E.g., one of my words for this year is to “grow strong,” and the main goal linked to that word is to bring down my body fat percentage as well as my cholesterol. The action I will commit to is working out 2-3x a week. The first step towards taking that action would be to figure out which classes in the gym I want to attend (what time, which style, and which instructor) and check out some YouTube yoga and Pilates videos. And then I have to show up! I am also planning to monitor my activity weekly. In addition, I also need to need my body fat, and cholesterol measured.
2. Give every month a theme based on your goals.
This is a great way to start outlining the year without knowing all the details yet. The themes (e.g., health, home, education, career, money, relationship, relaxation, etc.) serve as a compass and help you to navigate throughout the year. E.g., I am moving in February, so I am not planning any other crazy challenges for this month.
You can use these fields also for major to-dos such as filing taxes, annual check-ups, etc.
Another benefit: if your year won’t play out as planned, it is easier to move around the already planned pieces (e.g., switch fitness with home month) rather than not have a plan at all. The plan helps you to keep the essential things on your radar and doesn’t let you deviate as easily.
3. Divide your goals between 12 months.
Whether it is one of your 3 main goals or an additional goal, you have 365 days to accomplish it all, not 1 day or 1 week! So go ahead and divide your goals between 12 months.
Note: Long-term and recurring goals.
Look at your list, identify long-term goals and break them down into short-term goals. E.g., if you want to read 24 books a year, you should read 2 books a month.
Hence, your monthly goal lists might end up unexpectedly similar or perhaps even dull, as it takes time to build something big. Of course, it all depends on individual goals, but I wanted to mention it here as this is the case with my goal list.
4. Get clear on how and when you will execute what.
Do your research. Write down thenext steps. You have already noted down one main action you will commit to for your main goals. Now go ahead and write down the next steps; this is the most crucial part of your action plan! Once done, do the same for other goals.
If you get overwhelmed, start with three main goals followed by other targets, from the most important to the least important.
Note: this might take longer than anticipated but take your time here. Rather spend an extra day or a week and end up with a well-thought-through plan than a plan whipped together in a rush that is most likely deficient. A comprehensive plan gives you confidence!
5. Visualize yourself taking action to prepare yourself mentally.
Ask yourself what obstacles you are likely to face and how you would overcome these.
E.g., in January, I plan to eat clean, so I will picture myself in the grocery store. What will I buy? Which aisle am I going to avoid? I will look up recipes that I want to try. I know I need to reserve some extra time for meal prepping as I don’t want to cook every day. I will also picture myself coming home hungry from work and wanting to grab a piece of chocolate or a cookie; what will be a substitute for that? These are the images I paint in my head before starting with the challenge.
6. Start with ONE goal.
You don’t have to tackle all goals at once! Remember: multitasking is an illusion; it is not productive. You don’t have to do detox while moving to a new apartment, starting to volunteer, and reading 5 books. As I have written before, the goal of setting goals is not burnout but to organize your thoughts, ideas, and dreams better so you can be more effective while enjoying your life. In order to achieve our goals, especially the long-term ones, we need to create new habits. We need an identity-level change. And if you have ever tried to do that, you know how much effort it takes.
In case you are working on improving already existing habits, in my opinion, you can also work on two to three goals at once if they are set in different areas in your life and don’t have any conflict with each other. However, I would most definitely stay away from starting with three completely new goals!
I hope these steps were useful and that you are ready to take action now! If you are still struggling, I plan to post more on how to close the gap between knowing and doing soon. Stay tuned!
Light & love,
Liis