Hello dreamer! I’m Roseanna, (the woman behind ZsaZsa) and today I want to share with you an effective method to not just set goals for 2024, but to actually achieve them, without feeling overwhelmed and like you would be doing the impossible. If you have been moving your goals from one year to the next year every January for the last 5 years, like I was, this post is for you, we are going to change that together. I am on a one-woman mission to help people just like you, who have big dreams and goals, stop dreaming and start taking action so you can actually live your dream life.
First I need to go into the type of goals you might have.
Project Based Goals
These are goals that require projects and actions to achieve them. This could be something like starting a business, changing careers, renovating the house etc. We will focus on this type of goal during this post as these in my opinion are the hardest to achieve because they may feel overwhelming.
Habit Based Goals
These as the name suggests can be managed by daily or weekly habits. For example, read 12 books, get into the best shape of your life etc. Requires daily reading or healthy habits. You don’t need to set up a project, you just need to be consistent with your habits. For these types of goals, I do recommend you have a habit tracker, but also schedule them into your calendar.
Step 1: Envision Your Dream Life
Dream Big, Dream Bold
This might sound counterproductive after the opening TED talk of this post. However, before diving deep into goal setting, it’s crucial you know what you are aiming towards. If you don’t know where you are going, how can you create a journey to get you there?! If you are anything like me, this I find really fun to do, and I like to re-visit this exercise each year, things change, and your priorities and version of your dream life will evolve over time.
Think of your dream life as your North Star, this will guide the goals you set and the actions you take.
So first things first. Let’s get started with our first exercise.
Exercise: Answer the following questions.
- Where do you live?
- What does work-life balance look like to you?
- What does your day-to-day look like?
- What are some experiences or adventures you wish to have?
- What level of financial security do you need to feel comfortable?
I would also recommend you work out how much your dream life would cost. It might be more affordable than you think! It’s important to know, not to limit your belief to thinking “I could never afford this”, so you can start thinking, “How can I afford this”. A crucial mindset shift.
Time to start thinking creatively about how you could make enough money to fund your dream life, doing something you enjoy. Assess the things you enjoy, your hobbies and your passions. How could you get on the path of a career you enjoy that has the potential to financially provide, or could you start a business? Nowadays it is a lot easier and cheaper to start a business from your passion. Trust me, I know.
Download our simple Dream Life Notion template here.
Exercise: Create a Vision Board
Whether it’s a physical board or a digital one (I personally love using Pinterest to get some great visuals), create a visual representation of your dreams. This makes your aspirations tangible and keeps you inspired. Keep coming back to your board. Especially on hard days, it will remind you of your why.
Values
Your values are the foundation of your life. Identifying and understanding them helps in setting goals that are not just ambitious but also meaningful. Write them down somewhere so you can refer back to them if you need help prioritising or making decisions.
Step 2: Brainstorm
Exercise: Write down every dream you’ve ever had.
Yes, every single one. This is a judgment-free zone. Dreaming without limits is the first step to achieving something truly great. This is the start of your goal setting, you won’t focus on all of them at once, you might not achieve all of them, and that is perfectly okay! It is really nice also to have a list you can keep adding too, as things pop up over the years. I also like to add the date I added the dream to the list so I can look back and see what I was dreaming about over the years.
Now, it’s time to bridge the gap between dreaming and doing. Brainstorm goals for this year that align with your dream life and values. Don’t hesitate to modify your dreams list into actionable ideas.
Exercise: Make this years goals list.
Step 3: Set Meaningful Goals
This is where you will need to look at the goals you listed for this year, and think about the following for each goal.
Intention
Why have you set this goal?
How will this goal change your life?
How would achieving this goal make you feel?
Connection
Are you connected to this goal?
Does this goal align with your values?
Does this goal align with the dream life you want to create?
Control
Can you control the outcome of this goal?
Ideal & Minimum
Think about the ideal version of the goal and the minimum version, this gives you wiggle room for the days you are not feeling well or when life happens!
Is this a goal for you?
Is this a goal you want to achieve or is this goal for someone else or social expectations?
After doing this exercise for the goal, if you are still connected to it and want to achieve it this year great! If you decide this isn’t right for this year or ever cross it out.
Step 4: Prioritise
We can’t do it all at once.
Now is the time to prioritise the goals you set for the year. A few things I like to do is assign each goal a life impact rating, from 1–10. 1 being not life-changing, to 10 being absolutely life-changing. This can help you visualise what goals would have more impact on your life. What are the benefits of the goal?
A few other questions to help you prioritise.
- Are any of your goals related?
- What skills are required to achieve the goal?
- Would achieving a certain goal first help you gain the skills to then achieve another goal easier/faster?
Exercise: Choose 2 project-based goals to focus on in the next 3 months.
Trust me, just focus on 2, you can then do this exercise again in 3 months to help you prioritise your goals for the following 3 months. If you try to schedule all of your big projects/goals into your life, you will not make movement on any. I have been there! Trying to start 5 businesses at the same time. I started 0 for 3 years.
Step 5: Break It Down
Exercise: Get specific.
For the 2 goals you have prioritised, list out all the projects you will need to complete to move you towards the completion of the goal.
Then break each project down into actionable steps and assign a date over the next 3 months you will do that task.
Step 6: Review
It is important to check in regularly with your progress. I recommend weekly reviews, so if you have had a particularly bad week you could adjust your next week accordingly, the same if you have had a great week. You might have got more done than scheduled towards the goal and realise you can fit more in.
Try to review each week, month and quarter. Celebrate your progress, review lessons learned and make sure the goal still aligns with your dream life and values.
Achieving your goals in 2024 is more than just setting them; it’s about creating a clear vision, aligning your goals with your values, planning meticulously, and taking consistent action. With this approach, you’re not just dreaming; you’re doing. Here’s to a year of turning dreams into reality!
Your Dreams Await
Happy Planning <3
