“Three! Two! One!”
Cheering erupts across Times Square as the ball drops on New Year’s Eve. People begin to clap and shout as couples embrace — taking in the short, sixty-second celebration until 12:01 snaps them back into reality.
When morning comes, a majority of them will return to their uneventful and repetitive 9-5 routine for the next 365 days. Without taking time to seriously consider what goals and resolutions they have for the new year, they become stuck in that continuous loop which we refer to as: everyday life.
Fortunately the new year may mean new fate, and the one I’ve just described doesn’t have to be ours. In order to avoid this seemingly inevitable outcome, goal setting is a must! It allows us new means for motivation and the opportunity to progress in areas of our life that we feel are currently lacking.
TimelyApp describes the value of goal setting by stating this: “Goals allow us to set expectations for ourselves. They are effectively a mindfulness tool — helping us declare how we intend to apply ourselves. From using the fresh start effect to the tight deadlines, goal setting leverages a multitude of psychological techniques to help manage and direct our focus.”
Understanding the objective of goal setting is not the hard part. Setting goals and carrying out the necessary steps to maintain them, however, is. It requires much more time, effort, perseverance and serious dedication. It does not matter whether our goals are big or small, but it is crucial that they are realistic. They must be structured correctly and realistically if we expect them to benefit us to the degree that we desire. Setting realistic goals can be difficult, which is why TimelyApp provides the following insights:
1. Make your goal specific!
- Never allow your goals to be vague. “Uncertain goals lead to uncertain results, and undeveloped goals only lead to undeveloped futures.”
2. Give your goals a proper time frame!
- An “end point” allows for the measurement of progress. “It gives you structure, allowing you to plan and boost your sense of urgency, which can be key to hitting your goals.”
3. Ensure that you’re always aiming high!
- Setting your expectations too low eliminates your drive to push yourself even further. Setting the bar too high with unattainable goals, however, will be a detriment to your self-esteem. It is crucial to make goals that push you, but are not out of reach according to your current circumstances. “Goals should be realistic, but also ambitious.”
4. Draw up a proper plan of action.
- The most important part of your action plan will be putting both the necessary steps and the intended outcome into writing. However, “don’t make the mistake of being so focused on the outcome of your goal that you neglect the steps you must take to achieve it.”
By following these steps and holding yourself accountable for your own progression, you can break the “cycle of everyday life” and enhance your ability to maintain a positive attitude, perform tasks more efficiently, and experience more fulfillment as you go about each day.
I strongly encourage each of you to set clear goals for yourself as we turn the page and begin this new year.
– by Hailee Eyre
Feature image caption: Times Square at the start of the new year. Courtesy Flickr.
Hailee Eyre – Panguitch
Hailee Eyre is a journalist at The Byway. She attended Southern Utah University in the fall and is pursuing a career in the medical field. Her favorite topics to write about are those that intend to inspire others, providing motivation as means to better yourself or the world around you. In her free time, Hailee loves to be outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing, boating or hiking.
Hailee is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Pennsylvania and New York Church History Sites Mission.