How to make 2022 your year

So how did you find 2021?

Would you choose spending the same 365 days and just surviving or having the most successful year of your life? I would assume you’d choose the latter option.

Every year you get the same 365 days, so what is getting in the way of you achieving your aims and how can you achieve them in 2022?

The answer is relatively simple… by working through these five steps:

1. Reflect on the last year and note what worked or didn’t work

2. Work out what it is you actually want

3. Then, ask yourself why you want it

4. Next, plan out the steps to take action towards that goal

5. And finally, implement!

Without this, many people work out what they want to achieve from the year ahead without any context from the year before. You need to acknowledge what worked well along with being honest about what didn’t.

1. Reflection

Take some time to think about these questions and write down your answers:

· Did you achieve the income you desired?

· Are you working on projects that excite and interest you?

· Do you like the clients you support?

· Do you feel secure?

· Are you achieving a good work/life balance?

· Were there any disappointments?

If it helps jog your memory, look at the tasks and projects you delivered or emails between you and your clients. The aim of this is to have completed a thorough analysis in order to formulate a plan for 2022.

2. Your Vision

You can’t move forward without having a clear vision of what you want for your future. Many people make the mistake of rushing into coming up with one goal, but not working out if it’s actually what they want or how it really fits into their life. Here are six initial categories you should focus on:

· Health and fitness

· Finance

· Career

· Relationships

· Personal

· Environment

What do you see for each of these?

As before, write down or map out your thoughts to help make these goals really clear in your mind. Then ask yourself, is what you’re doing right now or the way you’re working, helping you achieve each one of those categories?

Because one doesn’t happen without the other. For example, your career could be really taking off at the detriment of your health and fitness goals. Each tie in with the other, so get aligned with your true vision across all areas of your life to plan for the best year yet.

3. Why?

Can you articulate why you want what your specific goals? It’s so important to uncover the real reason behind your goals in order to stay focused and to continue working towards, despite any setbacks that will inevitably happen.

4. Plan to 'Take Action'

Taking action means creating steps from where you are now, to achieving that end goal.

The most common way of creating these steps, or mini-goals, is by using the SMART method:

· Specific

· Measurable

· Achievable

· Relevant

· Timely

Ideally you want to cover each of these for every goal you set.

Here’s an example of a non-SMART and a SMART goal:

· Double my annual income - non-SMART

· Earn £2,500 per month, after tax, within 6 months - SMART

Outlining a specific goal which can be measured, is attainable and has a timescale attached, will make it so much easier for you to remain focused and achieve.

5. Implement

Once you have your SMART plan, it is time to commit to your goals. It is easy to start the new year with the popular motto ‘new year, new me’ but in reality it is harder to keep the motivation going throughout the year.

If you have a clear plan, with SMART goals and you’ve established the reasons why they are a goal, keeping yourself motivated should be more achievable.

“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty” - Theodore Roosevelt.

Success will take hard work and discipline, but if you have a clear vision and outlined each step to get there, you can achieve it.

Have a great 2022!