Hello and welcome to 2022! It’s been quite the start to the new year – the holidays were quite eventful to say the least and work hasn’t skipped a beat.
Entering a new year always brings up a mix of anxiousness and excitement. As a chronic to-do lister that can fall easily into the trap of “busyness”, I find that the the 80/20 rule (the Pareto Principle) is particularly helpful in reminding me that 80 percent of the output of my goals will come from just 20 percent of the goals I set.
Reflections on prioritizing the right goals vs. more goals (with life examples from 2021):
- The most productive goals are those informed by your authentic values and interests. A consistent truth that rings more true every year for me is that no one can tell you the “right way” to live your life which includes your values and personal goals. In 2021, I was able to cultivate my own personal values by developing a routine around meditation and journaling that helps me connect with my thoughts and emotions on a daily basis. It’s a gentle but effective way of reminding me of what matters, working through new thoughts/emotions and setting micro and macro goals that are authentically aligned with my values.
- Take time to reflect on what gave you energy and what took energy from you to inform what you should stop, continue and start doing. I started out 2021 with a plan of getting started on nicolelee.co off the ground by building offerings around 1:1 and group coaching. It was a constant tug of war with my energy and I got burnt out. In relaunching this year, what my primary focus will be (and what I have energy for) is to reflect on my experience and interest around balancing mental health, personal development, and career through my writing.
- Set goals against your personal values. Purpose driven goals help you stay on track in making progress against the things that ultimately matter. A personal value of mine is to empower others to authentically show up as themselves. As a result, one of my goals is to continue to refine my coaching skills by reserving a portion of my time for coaching on a pro-bono basis. It satisfies my personal value of helping others live out their full potential and keeps me inspired with new content ideas.
- Set this year’s goals based on where you hope to be in 5 and 10 years. There is a quote that says “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” When I put my goals today into context around who I want to be in the long-term, I begin to see how each year’s goals compound onto the next and it gives me the motivation to continue habits like meditation & journaling and gives me the push I need to start on new goals like writing.
Cheers to a new year 🥂,
Nicole
