What are your intentions for the year? Setting priorities and focusing your attention on your intentions allows you to be proactive and creative rather than reactive.
My grandfather used to say, “There is no harm in wanting”. However, unless you’re willing to take action you will never realize the priority. Anything worth achieving is worth working towards. Remember this will likely require you to get outside your comfort zone. If it was easy, you would have already achieved it.
Ideally, your priorities for the year will stretch you. You want to feel accomplished as you progress. If your goal is unrealistic, you may become discouraged or feel as though you’re failing.
As you plan for the new year, avoid making long to do lists. You want to be laser focused on your intentions. Three main priorities or projects for the year is optimal. Should one of your projects be stalled as you wait for a deliverable from another party, you can focus your attention on moving forward another of your priorities.
As you identify your top priorities, be clear:
- What has this be important?
- Is this a personal goal or something you’re doing for someone else?
- Is the priority in pursuit of results or ego?
- What will shift for you once you achieve this?
- What are you willing to commit to in order to have this priority become a reality?
- What will it take for you to achieve it? Who will you have to be?
- What may get in the way?
- What’s predictable?
- Is this something you have said was a priority in prior years but not yet achieved?
- What will have it go differently this time?
Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Time Bound)
- How do you define success in this area?
- What is your action plan to make it a reality? Set short term goals for each of your priorities.
- How will you hold yourself accountable? Do you need an accountability partner or a coach?
- How will you reward yourself for accomplishing the priority? What consequences might you establish to keep you in action?
When you reflect back at the end of 2021, will realizing the priorities that you’ve established give you a sense of fulfillment? If so, these priorities are worth your time, energy and attention! If you’re having trouble identifying your priorities or moving them forward, call me! Together we’ll get you on track to establishing and accomplishing meaningful priorities.
“‘Life is short’ really means ‘Do something!’”. – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie