The new year is upon us and with it, a fresh opportunity to reset and achieve your goals for 2023. Here are 6 key steps to successfully achieve your goals in 2023:
1. Set 1 goal
It’s enticing and thrilling to set 3 or 4 goals you would like to achieve in 2023. It makes you feel like you can become everything you wanted to in just a year. But you need to resist this urge and set only 1 goal. This will bring you many benefits: focused efforts, a clear mind, increased motivation, enhanced creativity, less pressure, dedication, more time for learning and a personal brand. Because we are defined by our goals. And when we talk about them with passion and dedication, that’s branding.
2. Say ‘No’
The next step after you have set your goal is to say no to anything that interferes with your plan to achieve your goal. Saying No is not an easy task. You might find yourself in situations where you need to turn down people you love, other projects, friends or colleagues. Explain the reason for your decision calmly and firmly. The people you turn down will accept your decision once they understand how important it is for you to stay on track to achieve your goal.
3. Break the big goal down into smaller goals
If you’ve set a goal for 2023, chances are it’s a big goal. No matter what the goal is, you can’t achieve it overnight. To reach the top of the stairs, you climb up each step (unless you do parkour, in which case you can just jump to the top). Approach your goal as you do any project you take on at work. Break the big goal into smaller goals – let’s call them intermediate goals – and make a list of them. They are your mileposts, each time you check them off your list, you know you are closer to achieving your big goal.
4. Leverage your point of view
Always look at projects and challenges from a different angle than everyone else. Why do what everyone else is doing? Be creative and take a new and fresh approach to your goal. Every one of us is naturally endowed with a different set of skills and talents. Our life experiences provide us with a unique perspective which is valuable in and of itself.
5. Look for patterns, not stories
Habit-building expert, Bestselling Author of ‘Atomic Habits’ and BRAND MINDS 2023 speaker James Clear says this:
“When researching strategies, emphasize patterns over stories. One person succeeding means nothing. 100 people succeeding is a signal.”
Find people who were successful in achieving the same goal you’ve set for yourself and reach out to them. Talk to them about your common goal and ask them if they would like to share with you the steps they have taken to achieve the goal. This is a great way to look for patterns and, at the same time, build relationships with people with the same values as you who can help and steer you in the right direction.
6. Leave perfection at the door
Many believe that being perfect is the route to professional success and personal fulfilment. What they don’t realise is that they set themselves up for disappointment because perfection is an illusion. If the Wonder Woman Syndrome is focused on ‘to do’, the pursuit of perfection is focused on ‘to be’. Setting up the expectation of being perfect regarding your goal achievement is not about high standards, but your critical inner voice. And it will ultimately prevent you from achieving your goal.
