It’s May, and January is a dim memory. A quarter of the way through 2023, Ricordia wants to check in and see how your New Years’ Goal are going. Are you pleased with how your goals are forming? Goals are similar to resolutions, and if you are looking at improving them or finding new ones, the following tips may help you!

It can take as low as 18 days to create a habit, and only 9% of people who set New Years’ Resolutions successfully achieve them. Setting a goal can be difficult, but if you set the right goal and make the right plans, you can accomplish the goal. There are multiple steps you can take when making a goal. 

First, choose an achievable goal or one that you actually want to do and could achieve. If you choose something that is almost impossible to achieve and something you don’t enjoy, you won’t want to do it and are more likely not to achieve the goal(s). 

Next, write down what you want to attain. You are 42% more likely to achieve your goals by simply writing them down on a piece of paper. This can be in bullet points or short sentences. Now, make your goal as specific as possible. If you don’t know exactly what you want to achieve, you cannot achieve it. If you think your goal can be more specific, make it more specific. Then, decide if your goal is a short-term goal or a long-term one. Short-term goals can be achieved in less than a year, and long-term goals could take over a year or even multiple years. You also want to decide if your goal is a healthy one. If your goal stems from an insecurity and you’re not sure if you are actually doing it for yourself, you need to think twice about that goal. 

The last thing you want to do is write down the outcome of your goal. “What will happen if I do achieve this goal, or what will happen if I don’t?” You can create a reward for yourself or maybe a punishment so you’re less inclined to give up. This is part one of achieving your goals. After these steps, you should have a specific goal indicating exactly what you are going to do, how long it will take, and the outcome. Once you have this, you can move to part two, making a fixed plan on how you are going to achieve your goals. Plans are amazing when trying to accomplish a goal because you know the exact way you are going to take in order to gain success in that goal. Just like your goal, make sure your plan is specific. If you don’t have a detailed plan of what you are supposed to do, you won’t know what to do. Once you’ve made a detailed plan, just do it. The reason goals are written is that there’s a possibility that the goal could become your reality, so when you’ve finished making your plans, just commit to them and do them. 

Remember to be kind to yourself. If you hit an obstacle or roadblock, don’t give up. What can you do to overcome it and achieve your goal? If you would like, share your goals with others to help keep you accountable. You’re not in this alone, the fact that you want to set a goal means you are taking every possible step to make progress in your life and not many people are brave enough to do that. Be friendly with yourself, hold yourself accountable, and achieve that goal. Below is an example of what taking these steps would look like.

1.  Choose an achievable goal, one that you actually want to do or can attain
   1. I want to get good grades
   2. 
2. Write down your goal.
3. Decide if your goal is a short term goal or a long term one.
4. Decide if your goal is a healthy one.
   1. This is a healthy goal
5. Write down the outcome of your goal.
6. Make a fixed plan on how you are going to achieve your goals.

If you follow these steps and adhere to your plan, your goals should be highly attainable. Moreover, don’t worry if you don’t achieve your goals quickly. Everybody achieves their goals at a different pace, and there is no set time frame for them. While it is common to set goals around the new year, you are not limited to that time of year. The Lenten season is a great time to set new goals. The Lenten season is one of fasting and sacrifice. However, it’s also one of service and compassion. This could mean volunteering at a soup kitchen or donating toiletries to a local homeless shelter, but this could also mean bettering yourself. Setting goals during Lent is another opportunity to commit to your previous goals and create new ones. Nonetheless, once again, be kind to yourself. You’ve got this.