I used to set goals every year, write them down and at the end of the year I would look back and check if I achieved my goals or not. I still do that, although the way I do it changed.

Now I set goals more purposefully. I have a vision of how I want to live my life, what my values are and what is important for me to feel fulfilled, and my yearly goals need to contribute to that vision. When I set goals, I ask myself the following questions:

1. How does this goal bring me closer or contributes to my vision? If the answer is unclear, it might be that the goal I am chasing it not the right one, and I challenge myself to find a new one.
2. What does need to happen or change for me to achieve this goal? Do I need to change behaviours, add skills, etc.?
3. How will I make that change happen?
4. What are the opportunities which this year might bring? Very often we forget that external factors will impact us or our goals, so thinking about opportunities (or threats) which might occur is an important part of setting goals.
5. How flexible can I be and what is the impact of my flexibility?
6. Who can support me and who can I support on the journey? Partnerships and support are a big part of our achievements as they help us stay on truck and focus on what is important for us.

It is important to remember that setting goals, should not mean, losing sight of unforeseen opportunities. Life is what happens when we have other plans, so keep re-assessing, be flexible, embrace the challenge and changes. At times life might present you with opportunities which you don’t see or understand immediately, it can even happen that you might need to take a step back before you can take a step forward, don’t stay fixated on the goals; keep the big picture in mind, adapt and keep moving towards your vision.

Wishing you success with setting up your 2023 goals and vision.

If you need a sparring partner to work on your goals and vision, don’t hesitate to reach out! I am here to help!

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In this HowDo number, there is also an interview with the Mayor of Eindhoven, and I have one take away from this interview: 

“Make sure the success doesn’t make us fall apart”, Jeroen Dijsselbloem. 

I find this quote very relevant for individuals, teams, organisations, our society and our communities in general.. 

How do we all make sure that we remain connected while growing our aspirations? 

Maybe something for all of us to include in our 2023 goals as a shared purpose!

You can read online: https://lnkd.in/e5C3sCjN .