As we come to the end of another year and the end of a decade, this is a good time to build a path towards the goals you have for yourself — or come up with some new goals. It has never been a good idea to just let life happen to you, especially now in a technological age where the world is changing faster than most people could have imagined. You want to approach the New Year with not just an idea about what you want to accomplish, but also a plan on how to get there. Here are some ways to plan for a great 2020.
First, stop making New Year’s resolutions. Set New Year’s goals instead. Resolutions are useless. Many people make resolutions every New Year’s — sometimes the same resolutions every year. If you visit a gym in January, you will see many people there that will never set foot in a gym the rest of the year. People don’t take resolutions seriously. After a few weeks, they give up and go back to the habits they were trying to change. When you set a goal, however, you have something specific you really want and you also work at motivating yourself to stay on track to meet your goal. You can work on your goals all year (or until you accomplish them), while most people give up resolutions within a few weeks.
Second, do some research on the internet to find examples of people who have accomplished what you are seeking to do. If the individual who has done it before has a blog or YouTube channel, you can subscribe and get motivation and advice. Also, if there are changes in the world that affect what you are trying to do (for instance, changes in the economy), you can learn how to weather those changes and still meet your goals.
Third, get a planner. It does not matter if it is an app on your phone or a physical notebook you carry with you — get yourself something you can use not only to plan your day but also to keep track of your tasks and progress on a weekly or monthly basis. Review your goals at the end of March, June, and September to make sure that are on the right path to completing your goals by the end of the year.
Hopefully you are motivated now to aim for success in 2020. Have a happy and prosperous New Year!
Arthur Johnson is a volunteer writer focusing on finance and economic issues in his column “Moving Up.” Any questions or comments can be emailed to [email protected]
