10 pieces of advice for goal-setting in 2022

Build systems

Create a system or build a small habit that will help you achieve this goal. This will make it easy for you to repeat the necessary tasks required to accomplish your goals. For example, if your goal is to write a book by the end of the year, you might want to incorporate the habit of writing into your daily routine. This might involve writing for at least 30 minutes every day after breakfast. It’s a small, realistic habit/system that will help you make consistent progress on your much larger goal.

Reflect on "why"

Reflect on “why” this goal is important to you. What are the benefits you stand to gain? Are your reasons “why” aligned with your values? Your “why” is ultimately your fuel. It’s your internal source of motivation, so it’s important to dig deep and write a powerful script for your inner cheerleader to repeat when thoughts of quitting begin to surface. 

Debunk your fears

Proactively debunk your fears. Writing down your fears and assessing them logically can make it far less intimidating and overwhelming. Often, they’re not as scary as you’ve made them out to be in your head. Upon reflection, you’ll also realise there are plenty of steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of your “fear” manifesting and plenty of steps you can take to “get through it” if your fear eventuated. 

Celebrate your progress

Acknowledge your progress. Celebrating your victories (big and small) is an integral part of success. It can help top up your confidence levels, silence your doubts and bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. Without these conscious observations of growth and progress, achievement and success have no meaning. 

Pace yourself

Pace yourself and prioritise your wellbeing. Slow down, listen to your body and honour your needs. There can be a tendency to rush and remain fixated on the finish line. However, choosing to bypass moments of rest to “get there faster” is not only a recipe for burnout, you’re missing the whole journey. As Gandhi so eloquently put it, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”

Trust the detours

Hurdles, setbacks and challenges all serve a purpose. It’s an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve. You need to be willing to accept and reframe the challenges you experience as seeds for growth. Then, trust your human ability to adapt. Ask yourself: what is this challenge teaching me? 

Ask for help

Ask for help when you need it. Seek advice from people who can help you move forward. Of course, it’s natural to want to forge your own path and pursue your goals independently, but the reality is, nobody ever got to where they are without some help along the way. 

Check in with your goals weekly

Make it a weekly ritual. This will keep your goals top of mind and help you make consistent progress. Ask yourself: what is one thing I could realistically do this week to bring me closer to achieving my goal?

Know what you can and can’t control

There will always be factors outside our control. You can’t control how someone else behaves, but you can control your response. You can’t control the weather, but you can prepare for it. You’ll feel much more empowered when you focus your time, energy and resources on what you can control (your effort and your attitude). 

Subtract to free up time

Subtracting forces you to prioritise. It forces you to say no. It forces you to make the hard choices that ultimately free up time and space for what matters to you.As much as we want to play superwoman (or man), we need to accept our human-ness. That means, finite time, energy and resources. Remember, it’s not about doing all the things, it’s about doing the right things.