How to Set Goals and Resolutions that Actually Survive the New Year

Dearest Bookworms,

 We are constantly growing- evolving into a slightly different version of ourselves- and so too do our goals for the year. The key to setting successful goals and resolutions is recognizing that they do not have to be "fixed". You have the ability to adapt your goals and even drop them if you find they no longer reflect the direction you are heading. Below are a few of my personal favorite tips when it comes to goal setting (set up in a step-by-step way so that you too can have thoughful goals):

REMINDER: You can set goals at any time

It does NOT have to be during the period of time before the end of one year and that start of the next. You can do monthly, weekly, or even daily goals depending on what works for you. You can set goals and resolutions on December 31st and reevaluate them in June to see if they still stand true. YOU have the ability to adapt them, creating a goal with the mentality that you have to do it and cannot deviate will often lead to an all or nothing mindset that can prevent you from doing anything.

Step 1: Be specific

Sometimes being too vague or broad leaves too much room for interpretation. This can hinder you by making it hard to tell if you completed the goal. Sometimes you can leave it vague but asking yourself some of the following questions can help: What is my intent with this goal? Is this goal short term (something that will be completed fast) or long term(something that will take time)? If it is long term, what are the steps you need to take to make it happen (see step 2)? If you are setting money goals- what are you saving for? What is the amount you need? If you are paying something off, name the amount (you can use this line of questioning for anything with numerical value like grades). 

Step 2: Break down your big goals into smaller ones. 

Sometimes we see the forest, but we forget about the trees.

Say your goal for the school year is to earn good grades. This is a great goal, but it is also a vague one. A "good grade" can mean not failing in which case any time you get over a 65 you have hit this target- but this isn't going to make you feel like you accomplished any thing (or maybe if you really just mean "not failing" then you can keep it vague). Break this down in smaller parts, clarify what you mean by good grades and give yourself a check in point. 

So the "Big Goal" is now I want to get an 83 average on all my tests, that would make the "Small Goals" things like: Study for X hours every week; Complete Homework Assignments on Time; Join a study group. A natural check in point would be report cards or if you have access to a portal you can set a check in time every month. The check in time would allow you to assess if changes need to be made. Say you study for 3 hours every week (devoted study time outside of homework), you feel like it is helping but notice your Math scores are still lower than you would like. Now you know you need to adjust, your new goal could be to continue to study for 3 hours but to add an additional hour devoted to just math (this goes back to our reminder that you can adjust your goals whenever), or maybe the new goal is to keep the 3 hours, but to start seeing a tutor instead of attending a study group.

Step 3: Create a home for your goals (Track them)

When we write things down it is a way to keep us accountable. You can do this as an activity with friends, or on your own as an intentional way of realinging your mindset. I personally use Notion and create a little homepage, I like notion because I can edit and change things as needed (for example: I can cross things off, if I need to adjust a goal, sometimes I rearrange my list so that completed goals go to the bottom). But this can be anything: Canva, Powerpoint, Journal, Notes app in your phone, a TikTok series literally anything as long as it is a way that can help keep you accountable and most importantly track your process. There is a certain satisfaction that comes with being able to cross off things on your list. 

Step 4: Follow Through

Set check in periods for yourself, this can be once a month, every other month whatever you want. This is another way of holding yourself accountable and reevaluating goals as the year goes on. You will not be perfect about this (no one is), making changes to your routines and habits can be hard and does require being intentional about completing your goals- but it can be done and it will feel good when you achieve them!

Good luck and Happy New Year

Sincerly,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Librarian

Katrina 

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