So, you’re planning to kick off the new year with resolutions.  

Big or small, the overwhelm can get very real, quickly. It can feel a lot like being in a reality game show – because fewer and fewer people actually make it to the end. And some do fall off the wagon very early on – with January 17th being dubbed, “Ditch the New Year’s Resolution” Day. (However, June 1st is the unofficial “New Year’s Resolution Recommitment” Day).

Waiting to see results? It can get exasperating! According to Forbes, 94% of people abandon their New Year resolutions. So, let’s try looking at it from another perspective. 

Enter: the power of setting goals and strategic planning.

Strategic planning will help you prioritize effectively, allocate resources, get your team on the same page, and provide you with opportunities to check in with your goals as you progress.

According to Harvard Business School, there are four key characteristics of strategic planning: 

• Purpose-Driven: 

What is your “why” behind a particular goal? Ensure that you have a solid grasp of your reasoning to help you stay the course. If you have a goal without a clear purpose, it will be difficult to get your team on board and to find your own motivation to accomplish it.

• Long-Term and Forward-Focused: 

Your strategic goals should be in service to your organization’s long-term vision and your foundational mission.

• Actionable: 

What are the operational goals that will act as the stepping stones to your strategic goals? Implement the right kind of business plan(s), including an operational plan, to serve as roadmaps for you and your team to follow. Your operational plan will provide your organization with day-to-day actions to take in service of your over-arching strategic goals.

• Measurable: 

How will you know when you’ve succeeded in your goal? Setting measurable, specific goals is a major key to accomplishing them, or else you risk feeling like Sisyphus pushing his rock eternally uphill.

Keep to these principles and before you know it, you’re watching your goals groove.  Consider what else you need to do to sustain and grow. 

As you learn more along the way, feel free to change the granular things as you see fit. The important thing is you’re continuously taking steps towards your goals. 

Whether working on big or small goals, keep in mind that they can always be broken down into bite-sized, actionable steps. What’s more? This method saves you from burnout. When you focus on one thing at a time, you begin to build good business habits and transform into a productivity ninja in no time. 

Remember, it’s not about a never-ending list; it’s about rocking your dreams, step by step. 

Here’s to an epic year of fun, achievement, and maybe a victory dance or two! You’ve got this!

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