You’ve probably started the working year with the very best intentions- but how do you solidify your wants and plans into real, verifiable goals that will sustain you through the year? FutureSpace is here with a simple, workable plan to make sure the fresh spirit of the New Year carries on straight through to December in 2019.

It’s all in learning the skills

It’s easy to start off with good intentions. For most of us, the issue arises when the grind of daily life starts to catch up. You get sick of the 5am starts, and the to-do lists seem to grow ever longer. How do you keep going all year through?

The good news is that determination is actually a habit you can practice. Successfully integrating goal-setting into your workday- or even your entire company’s ethos- can be done smoothly and easily, provided you start in the right place and set the right routines.

Start with clarity

For most of us, we set ourselves up to fail by not defining exactly what we want in the first place. We’re prone to setting lofty end-goals with no real plan of how to get there. This year, you won’t be doing the same. Yes, it’s important you know what the end of the journey is- but it’s equally as critical to define the steps along the road to get you there.

SMART Goals play a part here- specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic and time-based. Don’t say you simply wish to ‘boost sales’ or ‘make department head’… take that lofty end goal and subdivide it into smaller action plans, individual stepping-stones that will carry you to that end destination. For each step, make sure it carries parameters you can quantify ( Rx sales figures, or 10 contacts made), make them plausible (no one runs a marathon straight off the couch, and neither will your business plans) and- perhaps most importantly of all- set a date on the calendar for achieving each. Now, instead of something you wish would happen, you have the basic tools you need to get you there.

Don’t lose sight of the end goal

Now you have a plan to get you there, don’t forget to dream big too! You don’t want those small milestones to become millstones around your neck. Keep your eyes on that end goal, even as you meet each step in the journey there.

Rally supporters

If this is a business goal, it’s important your colleagues and workers are on-board and working for the same ends. If it’s a more individual working goal, you still are going to need your pep-team and cheerleaders. Let others know what you intend to achieve (and how), and don’t be afraid to ask for their support on the way there. Any goal can get heavy if you feel like you are fighting alone. Supporters will both lift the burden when it gets hard, and help keep you accountable when you want to slack back into old patterns.

Make sure you want it

A key part of all this quantifying of your goal is checking that it’s a worthy one which you want, too. Humans deal in nebulous wishes all the time. We all want to be younger, thinner, more successful… but do we want it with the core of our being, or would it simply be ‘nice to have’? Your business goals are no different. Attaining your goal is the difference between being dedicated to it even when things get tough, or simply having a passing thought. You will be going beyond your comfort zone to achieve it, so make sure it’s something that will add value to you, your company and your career.

If your goal meets every step on this plan, chances are you will see it come to fruition. Remember that your personal motivation, company culture, and the environment you work in are all tied together in helping you achieve your best. FutureSpace can help take one of those burdens off your shoulders, ensuring you and your goals are being nurtured in a happy, healthy and gorgeous environment, so why not get in touch with our helpful team today?