2016 finally came to an end and now 2017 is upon us. For many of us in this rat race called work, we leave one year and jump right into the next because of course we are busy, busy, busy. However, are we doing a disservice to our career or business if you don’t take at least one moment to step back and breathe? Truth be told how else can you analyze your successes and/or failures if you are not willing to regroup and focus on what you want to change or achieve in 2017?
Many of us have New Year’s resolutions for our personal life. Maybe you want to lose weight, or travel more, or maybe you want to learn a new language. Sadly, most people abandon their resolutions because they don’t commit; however, turning your resolutions into goals will lead to success. In our career or business world, it is vital to set yearly goals if you want to continue to grow. No matter what business you’re in, here are some simple steps to creating your 2017 goals.
- Analyze your successes and/or failures – This is your chance to look back and do an introspective analysis of 2016. Pat yourself in the back for all that you did well, and take an honest look at those areas that need work. Honesty is key, because you can’t make any changes unless you put it all on the table and evaluate.
- Define your business/career goals – Every year, your career, and/or business, is at a new stage and you must define where it is that you want to take it. Is your goal to continue to scale the corporate ladder? Is your goal to increase sales in your company? What is it that you want to achieve in 2017?
- Define the tools/tactics that will help you achieve your goals – Whatever your goals are, now you need to figure out how to get there. If your goal is to climb the corporate ladder, then one of your tactics could be to network more and brand yourself better. If your goal is to increase your client base, then your tactics could include to market your business through social media and to delegate more in order to manage more clients.
- Write your 2017 plan – and keep it close to you throughout the year. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, did a study on goal-setting with 267 participants. She found that you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down.
- Track your progress and reward your achievements – The only way to accomplish your goals is to stay focused and on top of what you’re trying to achieve. Don’t forget also to reward yourself when you reach each new goal. You’ve worked hard for this, so enjoy the results!
Now is the perfect moment to write your plan and make a commitment to stick to it. Good luck and may you have a wonderful and successful 2017!
Finalmente, el 2016 llegó a su fin y el 2017 ya está con nosotros. Para muchos de nosotros en este correteo llamado trabajo, dejamos un año atrás y entramos directamente al siguiente porque, por supuesto, estamos súper ocupados. Sin embargo, ¿le estamos causando daño a nuestras carreras o empresas si no tomamos por lo menos un momento para parar y respirar?, ¿De qué otra forma podemos analizar nuestros éxitos y/o fracasos si no estamos dispuestos a reagruparnos y enfocarnos en lo que queremos lograr en el 2017?