Setting goals for the new year (and actually following through) can actually be done. Here are a few tips:

1) Start thinking now: Give yourself some time to really think about what you want to accomplish in the coming year. Waiting until the year has already begun, or is on the cusp of beginning (like New Year’s Eve), doesn’t give you enough time to assess progress and setbacks of the old year and figure just what you want to do in the next one.

2) Write them down: Write down everything that comes to mind. If the list of things you want to accomplish starts to look lengthy that may be a good time to start prioritising and picking your most burning or urgent aspirations.

3) Make them measurable and do-able: If you set a goal and it’s abstract you’ll never be sure you actually accomplished it and this can lead to frustration. Or you could end up trying to cheat yourself. Set goals with definite language that make all terms clear. And strive to challenge yourself to grow and change but also be sure not to be unreasonable.

4) Put them up: Save your goals as reminders or notes on your phone or tablet, stick them to your door or on your mirror – make sure that they are in visible, accessible places that you see everyday, or most days. This will remind you exactly what you’re working to achieve.

5)Keep working on it: So you wanted to make all A’s on the report card but you got one C….the year doesn’t end right after it begins – keep working on it. 

The ‘

new year, new me‘ attitude is only as convincing as you make it.