Super Simple Goal Setting …in less than 3 hours!

I know, I know, I know… Time runs fast and you’re behind with your preparations for 2016. You need some quick tips to get back to the top of your game.

If goal setting scares you and you don’t have much time to invest, you’re at the right place as I’m going to share with you some quick tips to get you back on track. It only takes 5 steps to map out your goals …and 2 of them are actually the breaks!!!

1. Do a quick review (30-45 minutes)

Set a timer for 30 min. and review your 2015. It’s extremely important to review your past achievements and opportunities before looking into setting new goals. Review will help you prevent biggest mistakes and tacke best opportunities.

Below are some ideas to help you get started. Keep in mind that you have 10-15 minutes for each.

1. BEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS – What were your best accomplishments? Make a list of the top 5-7 achievements that you’re really proud of. What or who helped you to achieve them? If you could go back, is there anything you would improve or are you 100% satisfied with the results?
2. BIGGEST FAILURES – What were your biggest failures? Make a list of 3-4. What caused them? Is there anything at all that could have helped you prevent them? E.g. warning signs, better preparation, better team/time/task management, etc. What ONE thing should you improve/learn/change in the upcoming year to prevent such failures in future? The goal here is to pin point the opportunities for improvement.
3. BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES – What opportunities did you come across this past year? Anything you should follow through on? Anything that fell apart – if yes, why? Is there anything that hasn’t happened yet, but you’d love to see it happen in 2016?

2. Break #1 (15 minutes)

Take 15 minutes break. The key is to leave the space where you’re doing the exercise, so take a walk around the house or building, get a coffee or snack, then come back and continue.

3. Make a list (40-60 minutes)

Set a timer for 40-60 minutes and make a list of things you’d like to accomplish in 2016.

1. LIST – If you could do ANYTHING this year, what would you like to do? Keep writing until you are confident that there’s nothing else outstanding. Don’t worry about some crazy stuff, we’ll deal with it later.
2. BUNDLE – Bundle similar tasks/goals together to streamline your list.
3. RATE – Rate each item based on importance to you and the value of contribution toward your success in 2016 on a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 having no importance at all to 10 being extremely important.
4. RE-WRITE – Re-write your list from most important to least important.

4. Break #2 (15 minutes)

Once done, take another 15 minutes break. Some of you might need chocolate at this point. lol

5. Set goals for 2016 (30-45 minutes)

Set timer for 30-45 minutes and get back to your list from step 4. Looking at your highest priorities, which ones do you want to pursue in 2016? Set no more than 7 goals for the whole year. If you could accomplish 5, 6 or 7 things in the upcoming 12 months, what would they be?

Your goals need to follow the S.M.A.R.T. formula – they should be Specific, Meaningful, Actionable, Realistic and Timely (with a deadline). Here are the questions to help you formulate it right:

• SPECIFIC – What do you want to achieve in your area of focus? Who will be involved?
• MEANINGFUL – Why is this goal important to you? Your WHY will keep you going even when the going gets tough.
• ACTIONABLE – What steps will you take to achieve it? Map out the action plan.
• REALISTIC – How do you know that you can achieve this goal? Are you willing and able to make this goal happen? How will you know that you met your goal? Make your goal specific, realistic and measurable.
• TIMELY – By when do you want to achieve this goal?

Voila, you’re ready for 2016!

BONUS TIP:

Look at your 2016 goals and determine which one(s) you want to start with in the upcoming month. Add action items to your to do list and assign deadlines to them. Once done, why not to take first step toward your future success TODAY? What can you do to get things moving in your favor? Let’s get momentum going…

Are you looking for more tips to improve your productivity and efficiency? Check our Planning For Success, the ultimate guide to planning and goal setting.

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