As we approach the New Year, it’s the perfect time to set goals that will guide you toward personal and professional growth. Here are four tips to help you create meaningful and achievable goals for the year ahead.

1. Set SMART Goals

SMART goals are an evidence-based way to set yourself up for success. The SMART criteria ensure that your goals are well-defined and attainable.

• Specific: Make sure your goal has a specific criterion. For example, instead of saying, "I want to exercise more," say, "I will run three times a week."

• Measurable: Ensure you can measure your goal, either by completion or progress. For instance, track the number of miles you run each week.

• Achievable: Set goals that are realistic given your circumstances and timeframes. If you're new to running, don't aim for a marathon in the first month.

• Relevant: Your goal should be relevant to what you want to achieve in life. If health is a priority, a fitness-related goal makes sense.

• Timebound: Give yourself a deadline to complete this goal. For example, "I will run a 5k by the end of March."

2. Reflect on Your Past Goals

If you’ve set goals before, take the time to reflect on how well you stuck to them and whether you achieved them or not. This isn’t the time to critique yourself; it’s important to reflect without judgment.

Think about the goals you achieved and didn’t achieve. What worked and what didn’t? Were they the right goals for you? This reflection will help you understand your motivations and barriers, allowing you to set more effective goals this time around.

3. Align Your Goals with Your Values

This might seem like a no-brainer, but often people set goals because they are trendy or because people around them are doing it. Take a moment to write down your values (e.g., connections, living a healthy life) and what they mean to you. Remember, health looks different for everyone.

Now, check your goals and make sure they align with these values. If your goal doesn’t reflect what truly matters to you, you’ll find it harder to stay motivated.

4. Run Towards, Not Away

When setting a goal, ensure you are running toward something that is specific and achievable rather than away from something. For example, exercising solely for weight loss might mean you are running away from your current body size. Once some or all the weight is lost, the goal and habits will likely stop.

Instead, set a goal that allows for continuous growth, like exercising to get stronger. In this scenario, you are running towards strength, which can improve year after year. The habits you build to achieve this goal can be continuously developed.

Good Goal Example

Not a Great Goal:

• Exercise more.

• 
  

Better Goal:

• Move my body for 30 minutes, five times a week. This can be any sort of exercise (e.g., yoga, weights, Pilates, running, swimming). Every time I complete this, I give myself a gold star on my calendar.

Setting goals for the New Year can be a powerful way to steer your life in the direction you want. By setting SMART goals, reflecting on past goals, aligning them with your values, and running towards something positive, you can create a roadmap to a fulfilling and successful year. Happy goal-setting!