Setting a North Star For 2021
“I don’t have ducks, or a row, I have squirrels and they’re everywhere…”
- Hopefully not you.
For the last few years I’ve developed one of my most powerful habits: I physically write down my goals for the upcoming year, name my targets and plan to go after them, hard. I treat some of them are AS IF my life depended on them, like there’s no plan B… Here’s my simple approach.
Have you ever wondered how to successfully set goals for the upcoming year? Has setting goals always been daunting and just nothing more than a “wish list” for you? Forget resolutions, do this and you’ll never have to worry about disappointing yourself. You’ve heard the saying “progress, not perfection” surely. This is exactly that when it comes to keeping a close eye on your personal goals.
The best part? This is practical goal setting that actually gives you near instant feedback every time you revisit your list — You set them once and you only check in on them a few times a year!
I hope this helps inspire you to take the time to do the same.
STEP 1: LIST.
I simply jot down what I want to accomplish within the next 12 months. This step is a blue sky / wishful thinking sort of brainstorm. I simply use a notebook, in my case, I use my current Moleskin journal. I’ve used one for over 12 years to write down thoughts every morning. This process helps me think through and calibrate my day, week and in this case, my year. Anything goes here, you can just list the things you want to see done, may they be small goals or near-impossible goals which I call improbable goals.
I decided to set 21 goals in all for 2021, last year I only had 20, strangely in 2020 COVID-19 only impacted about 3 of my goals negatively. I plowed through the rest just fine.
STEP 2: CATEGORIZE.
My goals are broken down into 8 categories but you can have less. Last year I had 7.
I list my goals and place them in these eight specific buckets: family, financial, spiritual, physical, professional, intellectual, social and personal.
Here are my very own personal examples for each:
_______
FAMILY: Go on family bike rides 3 times a week. (year long goal)
(So simple, but this goal has massive results in my time with the family. It helps us connect, enjoy the outdoors, exercise, teach the kids awareness, safety and how to follow directions so they don’t accidentally drift into cars around our neighborhood… in other words, trust is established on both ends.)
FINANCIAL: Save $_________ for the upcoming project in May. (complete by April 30.)
(I have short term goals to hit within the year and setting these types of goals in your year allows you to “get a win” as you work on your list. Stack a few of these quick wins throughout the year and you will appreciate the momentum that builds from it.)
SPIRITUAL: Keep Sundays completely free of ANY business related work, spend it with family and friends. (year long goal)
(This seems so simple to do, but the truth is, it’s not. I have to be very intentional about goals like these, therefore I put it down on my list with a high priority. This goal recharges me, it helps me go further than having 7 straight days a week of constant brain overload and strategic thinking…. I shut down the engines completely for 24 hours and jump in recharged on Mondays.)
PHYSICAL: Complete a liquid-only 3-day fast, 4 times this year. One every quarter. Water, Tea, Juice and Broth only. (year long goal)
(Goals like these help me kick my body into sharp thinking mode and has proven to be an amazing health benefit — sometimes I’ll fast longer than 3 days depending on what my body is telling me. This helps me stay in tune with my physical health, flush out toxins and reset my body to a fresh state. During a fast, my energy is actually higher, usually on days 2-3 and my thinking becomes sharper.)
PROFESSIONAL: Find an additional ____________ to join the team to help with X tasks. (take your time with this one)
(These types of goals are harder than you might think if you value your work and the people you work with. Finding good people to work with is very difficult, therefore when you look for a team member, it could become a pretty serious endeavor that must be considered carefully and slowly.)
INTELLECTUAL: Read 12 books this year — Cover these 3 categories: Leadership, Marketing and Customer Service. (year long goal)
(I like to name my goals out loud and develop a specific plan to get there. For example, this one I HAVE to list what kind of books I would like to spend my time on. Since I should be tracking with 1 book a month, I have to make sure I stay specific and know what’s next on the reading list. You can mix and match from reading actual books and audio books. I like to at least READ half of the list in the physical form, something happens to your brain when you actually READ. For me anyways, ideas flow from the most unexpected times when I read, I jot down the idea(s) and keep reading...)
SOCIAL: Touch base with the following relationships at least once this year, ideally in a sit down if they’re local. (progressive / year long goal)
(This goal is part of my list every year, and the list of individuals change up by 50% every year… Professionally, I value people above anything else, followed by time. Especially those who’ve poured countless hours of wisdom and direction in my life, I always want more of it. You’re never too old for a good friend to tell you your ideas are completely nuts… or to revisit some good ole times together. Though… when your time is your most valuable asset, you can assume that other people’s time is also their most valuable asset. So demand it carefully and make these meetings count whether the meetings are with close friends, mentors or new relationships.)
PERSONAL: Enjoy something that makes you happy and maybe learn or improve a skill. (progressive / year long goal)
(This goal is again something that brings a good sense of balance and can be a wonderful outlet to all the serious work and tasks I find myself in throughout the year. This can be a hobby, or something you enjoy that simply brings joy and relaxation. For me, I would make it a point to enjoy these three things this year and be intentional about it: 1) golf (mini goal: shoot 4 strokes below last year’s average round), 2) cook (mini goal: explore a different cuisine and its flavor profiles), 3) marksmanship (shoot better, faster and more accurately with your firearms).
STEP 3: DEFINE.
Each category contains anywhere from 1 to 6 goals depending on the year. They govern my plans for the year and anything that doesn’t advance my goals in any shape or form just doesn’t get my attention that year. This is where the ability to say “no” really benefits you if you’re serious about crushing your list of goals.
I go deeper in this step and define what each of these mean and give them a deadline. Give your goals specific descriptions, don’t be vague with your goals! Being ambiguous with your goals just won’t do it, if they’re vague and undefined, you’re better off not listing that goal. Most will be year-long goals and they’ll be evaluated at the very end of the year. But when you do step 4, you’ll surely love seeing the progress.
STEP 4: CHECK IN & COURSE CORRECT.
If you drive every day you know that driving a car requires you to do these tiny course corrections… simple little adjustments of the steering wheel will keep you from drifting into the next lane and colliding with another vehicle. Crushing your goals is the same thing.
I check in on my goals quarterly. I just stop and check how I’m doing, my goals are in front of me, printed and easily accessible. This is a list you should almost know by heart since you’ll visit it often enough throughout the year.
For example, If I know I am behind on my reading goal, I course correct and readjust my time to do more reading.
I course correct with many of the goals if not all of them. It’s important to know that you’re on track, the progress should give you a confidence boost! If your check in gives you the opposite effect, you may have to ask yourself the hard question of: “Am I taking these goals seriously or did I jot down wishful thinking words earlier this year?”
Your list of goals is not wish list, they’ve been written down, stewed over and for some people, laminated… That’s right. Laminating a document makes it official right? Treat this list like a mini-agreement or wok contract with yourself. Maybe even sign it and have your spouse or someone you trust look at it with you and be a witness.
STEP 5: EXPECT BATTLES, WIN THE WAR.
My goals will likely have a 70-75% completion rate, I have 21 goals for 2021. (I had 20 in 2020) — I set about 30% of them to be IMPROBABLE goals (not impossible goals). If I hit just 5% of those “improbable” goals, it’s a great year! That means I’ve stayed focused, worked my tail off and got lucky enough to reach a really tough goal. I set CLEAR GOALS that are both attainable AND tough to complete. That’s the only way to GROW.
Expect the battle with yourself to be very real. You’ll hear your inner self start to say negative things, and even say some pretty discouraging things… In my mind that voice sounds like Eeyore. But you can’t listen to that little voice. Your goals are exactly what they are… goals. They are targets.
I focus on the target, I aim and I shoot… Sometimes I “aim” a bit longer, but I know I must shoot. I must TRY.
The battle is going to be there no matter what, it’s best to prepared and intentional. You must look to winning the war (your year). Winning the year doesn’t mean you’ll hit 100% of these goals in the contrary, you will 100% of the time, win the war if you attempt to complete your goals with purpose and gusto.
It’s all about growth, it’s about the journey that contributes a better you than the year before.
________
In conclusion… No matter where you are in the year, you can set goals that matter to you and you alone, you can start now! This is a personal growth strategy and exercise, one you will not regret. It’s not difficult, it just requires intentionality.
My favorite part of setting this North Star at the beginning of my year is that I always know what’s important to me. I spent hours if not days, thinking, writing and developing these goals.
I define what it’d be like to win this specific year.
Setting these goals allows you to have a clear mind to focus on the current thing, the next thing and the longterm thing. You’ll get rid of convoluted outlooks, your days, your weeks and months will have an HD clarity to it. Your North Star will help you keep things in High Def.
Due to seasons forever changing in our lives, doing this every year is of extremely value and when you step back at the end of say… 5 years, you’ll see how you would have purposely shaped the course of your life with intentionality and a winning attitude.
-T
HELPFUL RESOURCE:
If you want a great resource to create good habits and approaches to crushing your goals, I would recommend The One Thing by Gary Keller. It’s a classic on my bookshelf and I revisit it often. It has helped me redefine the way I work and approach my day for years.
