New Year goals, resolutions, intentions. If you’re like me, you’ve named a few, written a few down, and even mentioned one or two of them to your friends, partner, or family. So what’s next? Standing in month two of 2019, I’m still firming them up, starting by making sure they are well written. For me, the most powerful way to ensure that a goal I have in mind becomes a reality is by making sure it is well written.

I start by asking myself the following three questions for each goal:

1. How is it aligned with my values?

2. What do I need to do to make it actionable?

3. How will I know I am successful?

For example, this year one of my goals started with the intention to “Read more.” Using the three questions as a framework, I can refine this.

• Is “Read more” aligned with my values? Yes, it is aligned with my value of “learning.”

• Is it written to be actionable? No, this can be more specific. I realized that I want learning to be a central focus for me this year and that I’m willing to devote significant time reading.

• Is in written in a way that will allow me to know if I am successful? No, I need to quantify “more.”

My goal rewritten:  I read 40 books by the end of 2019.

Once my goal is clearly vetted and written,  I can break it down into pieces so I know what I need to do monthly, weekly, and even daily to be successful. In this case, I need to read about one book per week and develop the habit of reading daily.

Success in accomplishing goals doesn’t stop with writing them down. To make goals really stick I also:

• Claim them by posting them somewhere I will see them everyday

• Share them with someone I trust who will listen and without judgement remind me of the promises I made to myself. (Note: If you don’t have this person in your life right now, reach out to me. I would love to hear about the great things you will accomplish in 2019!)

• Reflect on progress. I have clients who reflect daily, weekly, or monthly. It is up to you to determine the frequency but there should be a point of planned reflection on your calendar. During my weekly reflection I ask these questions for each goal:

  • What am I learning?

  • How is moving towards this goal impacting me and those around me?

  • What do I need to sustain me as I keep moving towards this goal?

• Ask for help. After my goals are written, I ask myself this question, “What is needed to support my success?” so that I can determine what help and resources I need to be successful.

The best thing about goals is that you can drop, create, or revise a goal at anytime. Just make sure that the changes you make reflect your values and what you need this year to feel fulfilled.