I’m not one for resolutions as I don’t think you should wait until the start of the year to make changes in your life. But I do like to set myself some goals and targets. It gives me some focus and time to think where I want to be personally and professionally. Last year was a big year for me. I made some life-changing decisions professionally and I had some quite challenging goals I wanted to achieve. If I hadn’t set these goals then I can almost guarantee I would have not received some of the opportunities I was given and I would have wondered what I’d done all year!

My achievements and goals from 2018.

I try to keep my goals simple but SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) and I do try to keep them aligned to my overall life goal. Just like a project or campaign at work if it doesn’t align to overall objectives, then why are we doing it?

I’m not saying it’s easy as it can be hard to get caught up in everyday ‘busyness’. But I guarantee if you spend some time thinking about this carefully and doing some planning, you won’t get to the end of the year wondering what the ‘eck you’ve done over the last 12 months.

So where do you start:

• Look at what you want to achieve and why? Write it down and make a list of everything you think you need to do to get there and how it will contribute to your overall objective. It may look a bit overwhelming at first but it’ll really help you understand the reasons and give you clarity.
• Budget. This is a big one that’s often overlooked. There are certain things that will require some investment such as courses, seminars, professional membership and conferences. It’s important that you plan these and put the money on the side or in a separate account. Treat it as a mortgage payment and don’t dip into it, no matter how tempting it is.
• Celebrate your achievements. This is important and will allow you to stay motivated. Some people may think it’s showing off and others find it uncomfortable but saying out loud and sharing your achievements not only gives you an extra boost but you may also be inspiring someone else out there.

Remember it doesn’t need to be difficult, you don’t need to do motivational boards
(though I do love a good inspo board) or commit to lots of things. Pick two or three key things you want to achieve and work toward them throughout the year. More than three goals can be a bit much so just be realistic with your time and commitment otherwise you’ll just use it as an excuse (I’ve been there and have the t-shirt for random excuses!).

I hope this gives some of you some food for thought and helps kick-start your year – feel free to share your goals with me below or via Twitter where you can find me under @advita_p. Have a fantastic 2019!