What do you resolve to do in 2017?
What did 2016 bring for you? Did you achieve the goals and resolutions you'd set for yourself at the beginning of the year? The start of a new year is a good time to pause, reflect on past achievements, and refocus your priorities for the next period (whether that be 3 months or 12 months). Below are some questions to help you reflect and reprioritise.
What did you achieve in 2016? How did you achieve this? What personal strengths, qualities or skills did you call into play to help you? What if anything do you need to do differently? An important part of living a fulfilling and meaningful life is being aware of and appreciating your achievements. Its important to recognise and celebrate what you have achieved in the recent past, and to reflect on the personal resources you used to do this. (Some of my achievements include writing four chapters of my thesis, running a series of workshops on using mindfulness and strengths to achieve wellness, and starting my own private practice. I used my personal strengths of curiosity, gratitude, and humour to ride the surprising wave that was my year in 2016. I also used my skills of persistence and mindfulness to stay focused and to continue to exercise and compete in my sport of choice).
What would you like to achieve in 2017? What personal strengths, qualities or skills will you need to call into play to help you achieve your goals? If you don't know your strengths, you can complete the VIA-IS survey here. This survey identifies your key (or signature) strengths. Research shows that the more you use your signature strengths in your life and work, the more happy and fulfilled you will feel. (In 2017, I would like to finish my thesis so that I have a first draft by July 2017. To achieve this goal, I will need to focus on my strengths of bravery, perseverance, and appreciation of (beauty and) excellence. I will also need to develop my data analytic skills, and my planning and organising skills.)
What are the actions you need to take to set you on the path to this goal? Sometimes you need some small baby steps to get you started on your goal pathway. Identifying these small action steps can be beneficial. (For example, I need to update my statistical knowledge by becoming a member of an online statistics resource, I need to sit at my desk and write (or analyse data) for a minimum of two hours per day. I need to set up my next supervision meeting with my thesis supervisors.)
Who can you ask for support with this goal? Many goals are more easily achieved when we enlist the help or support of others. Who can you discuss your goal with? Who can help you achieve this goal?
How will you know you have achieved your goals? Knowing you have achieved your goals and celebrating your achievement is a key aspect of living a flourishing and meaningful life. Spending some time to reflect on your achievements and to set your goals goes a long way to knowing when you have achieved your goals. (For example, I will know I have achieved my goal as I progress through completing my data analysis, completing the writing of chapters, and finally in submitting a final draft.)
Write down your goals and action plans. Finally, it is key to take the time to write down your goals, aspirations, plans, and actions. Research shows us that goals that are written down are more likely to be achieved than goals that are merely thought about. Give yourself some quiet time to reflect and answer the questions above and write them down in a journal or poster for reference during the year.
Good luck and may you achieve what you want to achieve in 2017.