How to set yourself up for success in 2023.
Phew! Another year is gone! How does it happen? It was just yesterday when we just celebrated the start of 2022. The first week of the new year is also gone. How is that even possible? Time flies so fast, but the good news is we have the whole year ahead of us, and there is no better time than this to sit down and think through ways we can turn over a new leaf and let the year be one for the books.
Here are a few tips to kick-start the year on a good note and set yourself up for success:
1. Evaluate your goals for the past year:
While it is always good to start the new year with a fresh list of new goals, it is also crucial to take time to look back at the past year and see the goals you set for: what you have achieved and what you did not achieve for whatever reason. Doing so gives you an idea of what went well, what went wrong, the habits you need to create yourself to achieve these goals, the challenges experienced, and the lessons you draw from such experiences can come in handy in building the life you want to create yourself for this year.
Start the process of setting your new goals with a look back on how last year went by, the lessons it taught you, and the things you would do differently if 2022 wasn’t behind the rear-view mirror.
2. Set realistic goals:
The biggest mistake we make when setting goals is that we don’t give enough thought to the goals we set. We don’t ask ourselves: Is it realistic considering where we currently are, the timeframe, and the effort we need to put forward? Is it within our reach or beyond? There is no point in setting a goal if you don’t foresee it happening. You cannot become what you cannot see; let your goals be as realistic as possible. This will not only help you realize the goal, but it will also hold you accountable and motivate you to strive and put in the effort it takes to accomplish it.
The more realistic you can be when setting goals, the more likely you will attain them. So, whatever goal you plan to achieve, make it as realistic as possible.
3. Invest in yourself:
Knowledge is power, and there is no better way to acquire it than investing in the most significant asset anyone could have, which is ourselves. Investing in yourself can take many shapes and forms. It can be as big as putting your wellness first, learning skillsets that are high in demand, picking a hobby you like, learning a language, traveling, saving money, or as little as going for walks, taking yourself on solo dates, taking care of the people that bring out the best in you, treating people around you well.
4. Be kind to yourself You can’t become the person you want to be in a year:
You might disagree with me on this one, but please take it with a grain of salt. We live in a world where everything is labeled with a timeline. Societal pressures are everywhere. We carry the expectations of the societies we live, including family members, which puts a timeline to everything. You should be married by a certain age; you should have all your life figured out before you turn a specific age. Or let me put it this way, when I was your age, I had this and this but look at you just sitting there, waiting for life to happen. (Does this hit home with you?) for me, it definitely does.
In reality, we feel pressured to have our life in a certain way, become harsh on ourselves, and compare our behind-the-scenes with the highlight real of the people around us and on social media. This reality leads people to push themselves beyond the limit and sacrifice the essential things in their lives along the way. Coming to terms with the fact that we can’t have it all at once and become the best at everything within a limited period can alleviate the societal pressures on our shoulders.
We will always be a work in progress; what matters the most is taking baby steps and becoming better each day. Don’t focus on everything at once, focus on things that matter the most and as you do this; you will get to where you are headed without burning the candle on both sides: (focus on everything and finding lost in the middle of everything).
At the end of the day, all you have is yourself, and whatever goal you set shouldn’t come at the expense of your well-being and the people around you. Don't overwhelm yourself with too many goals-focus on what matters the most. Becoming a better person is meant to be a fun journey!
Thanks for reading this. If you have reached this far, let me know your takeaways on this and what you plan to do to set yourself up for success this year!