Do I really need goals for 2023? 8 questions for your career and life planning!
Now the time is drawing near to look ahead to the new year.
Is your spontaneous thought: Oh, I don't really want to think about my goals for 2023, yet. Because finding and implementing goals can put quite a bit of pressure on you. Let me share some thoughts with you:
Looking Back
First look back before you look forward.
So, towards the end of the year, I first ask myself what have I actually achieved so far? Often, an electrifying energy immediately unfolds because I need to finish something by the end of the year that I have already almost completed. And only after completion of this “something” I really feel like looking ahead to the new year. My planning process is triggered when I calmly look back at the past year. This helps me to get clarity about what I want to work on in the new year. It's about taking the first small steps that feel good to initiate change. There are many ways to look back on the year. Today I brought you 3 questions
What are you proud of?
You can celebrate everything you can think of. Even the small things that make you proud are worth being put in the spotlight.
What three valuable things have you learned?
Under the motto "learning", take a look at the things that went well or not so well. The saying "Learning from mistakes" is unfortunately true. That's why it's worth looking at mistakes differently: Welcome, dear mistakes, I can learn a lot of valuable things from you!
Looking back, what would you do differently?
This reflection question brings you very close to possible new goals. It contains the power for growth.
Goals? What Goals?
Did you know that every year on 15 January, about 90% of all New Year's resolutions are already history?
So, what about your goals? Todays’ blog is about planning for the year with motivation, joy and flow. Because that's pretty much everything it stands and falls on when it comes to achieving or not achieving our plans....
Back to New Year's resolutions for a moment. Why do we make them and why do they disappear so quickly?
Attention: New Year's resolutions are like all change requests and projects. If we don't put them into practice in the first 14 days, our drive and starting energy fizzles out dramatically and our determination and realization rate drops to almost zero. This applies to ourselves as well as to team projects and much more. So, if we don't start right away after we've set our sights on something and don't overcome our inhibitions or our stubbornness, in almost 100% of all cases nothing happens: NOTHING.
...so yes, something does happen (unfortunately). We are then pretty sure (consciously or unconsciously) to be somewhat frustrated, even less motivated than before and possibly even strengthened in our belief that we can't change or follow through with anything anyway. This is unfortunately unfavorable for our self-esteem and for our self-efficacy, because it can act like a downward spiral. Always resolving to do something and then not doing it is poison for our self-confidence. Because we learn that we can't trust ourselves.
Beware: Of course, I don't mean that we can't change our minds about our plans and goals! We always can - and sometimes that is super important and necessary!
So maybe it's better not to set any (New Year's) resolutions in the first place? YES.
Not making any resolutions at all, not wanting to change anything or not going through with it, does not have an encouraging effect either, does not make you more self-confident, more confident, more self-effective or happier.
The HOW and WHY of goals
So - as is usually the case - it depends on HOW you do it and, above all, WHY!
Because what is the reason? Why do we set resolutions in the first place and why these of all things? And why do we often find it so difficult to start and why does the motivation fizzle out so quickly? I think there are several reasons.
First of all, we naturally set goals because we strive for growth, change, happiness and improvement, are curious, have a desire for new things, are inspired and much more.
But we sometimes set goals that are too big for the moment and paralyze us because they actually seem impossible before they even start. We often lack the simple, immediately realizable mini-steps, the willingness to appreciate small successes, the gratitude for what we have achieved - even the perhaps rather unspectacular. We want everything, if only everything, and preferably immediately. Like our role models, perhaps. Only the way to get there is somehow "in the way"...
Or we set ourselves goals or resolutions (the word itself says it all) that deep in our hearts are actually not our own. Because we often set a bar for ourselves because we compare ourselves and think we should be this way or that way, rather than because we feel a genuine, passionate enthusiasm for the desire. Because we think we should, because it would be casual, prestigious or or or…. I could tell you some old "goals" of mine that fall into this category....
So. and now both categories are almost doomed to failure in implementation. Why? Because we can't answer our why behind the why behind the why. Because what we really need and what lets us achieve our goals is the why behind your goal and the matching feeling to it. Why do you want what you want and what feeling do you want to feel and fulfil with it? So, when you make your desires, ask yourself why you really want this? What do you want to feel? And why do you want to feel that?
...if you can answer that, you will get very far with your motivation, because it gets the sense booster.
Perseverance and Implementation
But now I would like to say something very briefly about perseverance and implementation. Despite all the sense and sincere desire, it can happen that we lose our discipline or our power of implementation at times, or we don't even get it activated in the first place. Sometimes we are simply unmotivated or inhibited. This happens more often than we would like, and very few people are equipped with irrepressible, never-ending willpower.
When you have a slump and are unmotivated and/or bored for a longer period of time (several days or weeks), check whether you are refreshed and sleeping well and sufficiently. What sounds so banal is the absolute basis for motivation and physical and mental power of implementation. No matter how important and valuable your goals are, if you are permanently exhausted, you will not be able to put your horsepower on the road. So, see what can improve your rest and your sleep before you somehow artificially push and motivate yourself during the day. Then you'll find real joy and flow again in what you set out to do....
If the questions and approach inspire you, you can use the answers to look directly at the new year 2023 and ask yourself what you want to make more time and space for. What are the next steps you can take? And what concrete goals, small or large, can you formulate for yourself? This is a simple and easy way to find your goals.
8 questions for your career and life planning
Life is all about change. Because our needs, desires and dreams are also in motion and change with new stages of life. Therefore, it is perfectly normal that we put our lives - consciously or unconsciously - to the test at regular intervals. If you are currently in a phase of change, perhaps the following questions can help you to orient yourself:
What am I currently giving to my work, my colleagues and myself at work?
What am I getting?
What are my values or ideals and how are they reflected in my work?
What do I really want for myself and others?
What dreams and aspirations did I have at the very beginning of my career, or before it started? Which ones are still current? How can I follow them?
Can I organize my working life in such a way that there is enough space for other important facets in my life?
Overall, how satisfied am I with my current situation?
What changes could I initiate to create a better foundation for the future?
If the questions and approach inspire you, you can use the answers to look directly at the new year 2023 and ask yourself what you want to make more time and space for. What are the next steps you can take? And what concrete goals, small or large, can you formulate for yourself? This is a simple and easy way to find your goals.
Make 2023 your year - Your personal annual plan for career clarity, focus and success
In the Masterclass on 28.12 Make 2023 your year - Your personal annual plan for career clarity, focus and successl I will take you by the hand and guide you through the process. DETAILS: 28 December 2022 from 6PM to 8.30PM via Zoom Online.
This is what you will take away after the Zoominar:
You've reflected on your year so far in 2022
You have a clear plan for your year 2023
You know which daily routines will help you to implement this plan
You learn how to implement your monthly plan immediately
You have clarity, motivation & implementation power
Register directly here.
If you can't be there live, you can of course also do this Real Time Implementation Workshop using the recording. So #noexcuses!
If there's one thing I've learned over the last few years it's: PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING! Because: A goal without a plan is only a wish - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
In my coaching I can support you individually to find your vision and to create your vision board. If you have any further questions, just drop me a line anytime.
Here is the link to book a discovery call. My program SHOW UP! can help you with the preparation phase.
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