Goal setting for ‘24
“Whether you believe you can or you cant, you’re right.” - Henry Ford
As we stand at the edge of another year, the debate about setting resolutions resurfaces.
Some argue that resolutions are futile - promises that fade as quickly as the fireworks on New Year's Eve. But, for others, the act of setting goals for the coming year is like opening a new notebook—filled with the promise of fresh beginnings and uncharted possibilities.
I fall very deeply into the latter category. I LOVE setting goals for the New Year, and have never been able to bend my brain around why others don’t practice the setting of goals at a time that poses a collective energy of newness and change,
Why do some people shy away from setting resolutions?
Is it a belief that time is an arbitrary construct, rendering annual goals insignificant? Is it the residue of unmet resolutions from years past, a reminder of unrealised ambitions that breeds a sense of failure?
In 2019 I set a list of "20 for '20".
And using my resolutions list to look back on, it was a remarkable year. Remarkable despite the challenges that unfolded globally. The key to my success lay not just in the goals themselves, but in the metrics by which I measured my achievements. Some goals were around fitness, some on spending and others around creating more time around family.
A glance at the list reveals a quest for balance in the realms of family and mindfulness. Little did any of us know that the universe had its own plans, as the months that followed brought multiple hard lockdowns. Surprisingly, despite the challenges, I managed to accomplish much of what I set out to do.
Here is the list and how each one went:
1. Swim 1x per week: nope!
Pools closed due to the spread of Covid
2. Yoga meditation
Yup - plenty of time for that
3. Ashtanga yoga 3x per week
Not ashtanga but managed to practice yoga on my own at least 3x per week
4. 1 year no alcohol
Erm… let me explain this in goal #5
5. 2 new commercial photography clients p/m
YES! with so many businesses going online, I was sent cases of wine, spirits and beer to photograph (and then drink).
6. Learn more about Facebook ads
Yup - it was the year of up-skilling for so many of us so facebook ads and more!
7. Spend less on clothes
YES! But spent more on skincare - I intended to emerge from my forced hibernation with the most glowing skin ever
8. Networking more - 1 event per month
Yes. I joined an online networking group and we met every week.
9. Attitude of gratitude every morning
I did this and singlehandedly changed my perspective on lockdowns and life in general when things were really hard for so many
10. See more of Australia
Hard pass on this one
11. Work on my six pack (OMG LOL)
Worked on my six pack by growing a human that stretched the smithereens out of my ab muscles - bye-bye Ninja Turtle abs and hello little blonde Australian
12. Learn to surf again
Yes. We went surfing as a family many times when lockdowns were lifted
13. Read more fiction
Oh yes! I fell in love with so many characters and places in 2020 and found a niche of fiction I adore
14. Meet up with a friend 1x per week
Yes outside of hard lockdowns - masked walks (and later pregnant waddles) around the lake
15. Call dad every week
YES! And this is a big one. In 2019 my brother and his wife welcomed very premature twins into the world, and I went to South Africa with the boys to meet them. Mum was supporting the new parents and so our family getaway to the game reserve was with me, the boys and my dad. It was the best holiday full of belly laughs, driving too fast deep conversations over red wine when the boys went to bed and taking big risks which we all loved. I spoke to my dad over the phone as much as I could during covid and I am so grateful I set this as a goal. In January 2022, my dad passed away, before he got a chance to meet our youngest child and I will forever be grateful that I made this a priority.
16. Spend more time as a family
Whether we liked it or not, CHECK!
17. Cook at home more
Umm yes haha
18. New photo studio/office
Sadly no, but it all materialised in 2023!
19. Join the 5 am club
I tried.
I try every year but I am not a morning person. I think I need at some point I am going to have to admit defeat on this one. 6am is a thing these days though so I will continue to strive for 5am. Watch this space!
20. More dates ❤️
Not proper dates obviously, but a lot more time together (we emerged with a third child so…)
Looking at this on paper - WHAT A FANTASTIC YEAR! In reality, the year was brutal, but having something like this to look back on gives me so much pespective.
Not only does it show me how many things went absolutely right in 2020, but shows me how far I have come since then:
Looking at how my family has grown around each other since then
How my fitness goals have changed and continue to change
How my business goals are so much bigger now
They give me so much hope for the future. I think the key to my success was the alignment of my goals with my core values: Freedom, Family, Comfort, and Community.
To reference Henry Ford again: “Whether you believe you can or you cant, you’re right.” Looking back on value-based success metrics will always make you feel a sense of real achievement, reinforcing the idea that you absolutely can.
Each goal became a tangible expression of these values, and as a result, I had numerous metrics to gauge my success.
Whether it was the frequency of family time, the number of yoga sessions, or the progress in learning new skills, each aspect had its own measure.
So, as we enter 2024, consider this: Instead of resolutions, create a mix of carefully put together goals woven together with your values.
Measure success not just by the end result but by the journey itself—by the alignment of your aspirations with the principles that guide your life.
In doing so, you'll find that regardless of the external circumstances, the metrics of your success will always reflect a triumph of intention and purpose.