Another year is in the books and 2024 is upon us, are you ready to make this year a successful one? Many people like to set resolutions or goals at the end of the year however come January or early February of the new year, most resolutions are out the window or in danger of being abandoned. .
If this is you, let’s buck the trend and make 2024 a great year for you, one where you achieve most (if not all) things that you set out to achieve.
How to have a successful 2024
Firstly let’s review your 2023, how was it for you in regards to goals and your performance? Spend a few minutes looking back at 2023 and look at what worked and what didn’t. If you set goals for 2023, what worked and what didn’t and if the what didn’t pile is a lot longer than the successful pile, go deep as to the reasons why your year wasn’t as successful as you would like.
Once you’ve looked at your list of successes and failures, is there a pattern that emerged? Is there anything you can use to help with your success in 2024? Take out what you can from your own experiences in 2023 and let’s look at a couple other points you can focus on to improve your chances of a successful 2024.
1. Believe you can succeed and plan for this
If you’ve had previous high expectations of success it can be easy to think this time won’t be any different. And you are right that it won’t be any different if significant changes to your approach and routine aren’t made. I’m sure you’re familiar with Einstein’s definition of insanity, so make sure you set your life up for success by changing things up. How do you expect to achieve your 2024 goals if no changes are made to any part of your life?
What changes need to be made to your day to encourage achieving your goal. If your goal is a savings goal, what changes to your budget and expenses need to be made? What changes to your income or savings plans need to be made?
- Review your daily routine and make the changes
- Map out how you will achieve your 2024 goals and get detailed
Once you start to have some wins and your routine changes stick, your confidence will grow, your belief will grow. You’ll be emboldened to try new things, to set bigger goals next year.
2. Get detailed with you plan for success in 2024
Putting together a list of goals or resolutions is a start but it won’t get you achieving what you want. Get more specific with your goals and break these down in more detail. For example you might have a savings goal in 2024, however this larger goal can be broken down into smaller goals i.e. having a monthly savings amount.
Also get some visual reminders of what you want to achieve in 2024. If saving for a trip is 2024 then print off some color pictures of your dream travel location. If a fitness goal is your big 2024 goal then print off a picture of an ideal body type you are looking to target in 2024.
And don’t forget to reward yourself once you achieve the goal.
3. Set one big goal with several linked smaller goals
Setting a lot of goals can take a lot of focus (especially if you haven’t had a lot of recent success in your goals). Pick one large goal (for example saving $25,000 in 2024) and set several smaller goals that are aligned to this large goal. If we are keeping to the above mentioned savings goal, having a monthly savings target of just over $2,000 will have you hitting your $25,000 by December 2024.
If you have a fitness goal to get to a certain weight or to lift a certain weight then breaking this goal down into visiting the gym at least 3 times a week each month is going to put you in good stead to achieve your big 2024 fitness goal in the example above.
Also it’s easy to spread yourself too thin and lose momentum if you set too many big goals, particularly when you have other important priorities such as family, friends and work. .
4. Look for successful people in this area or get coaching and the right people around you for success
One helpful way to achieve your goal (or goals) in 2024 is to look for someone who has either achieved what you are looking to achieve (or something similar) or trained someone who has achieved what you are aiming to do in 2024.
Find out what approach they used, what shortcuts they came across, what other tools or resources they used that helped them achieve their goal.
Look at social media accounts, internet forums or specialized niche websites for people who have had success in the area you are looking to succeed in.
Note: the internet and social media does have a history of not being correct so do your research as to the validity of some of these achievements that people brag about or advertise.
Another thing about reaching out to someone for training or guidance is they can also offer help in the area of accountability which we touch on next.
To get the results you need, look at other people
5. Stay accountable
Find an accountability partner if necessary. Be honest and true to yourself. As mentioned above this could be someone who you have engaged to provide training.
What about a friend or a family member who you trust. While you don’t need to broadcast your plans to the world (or you may be the type who likes to challenge themselves by broadcasting their find someone close to you who can offer help when the going gets tough.
There are plenty of people who are on similar goals or paths, how are they staying accountable? Can you join an online community or website? Is there an app you can download that can help keep you on track?
6. Check your progress regularly
Checking in on at least a monthly basis will make sure you are on track and in good shape to achieve your goals. You might find the goal was too easy and can make necessary adjustments to set a more challenging goal for 2024.
Make adjustments if you need to. You may have been too ambitious with your goal, that’s fine, adjust slightly downward and go out and nail it. Without a regular check in how do you know if you are on target and can achieve your goal by the end of 2024.
As the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. By putting in the time and effort and reaching out to accountability partners and trainers in your chosen field, people who can speed up your progress, will help immensely.
And don’t be too hard on yourself if you struggle at times or if you fall off the path. Whatever you do, don’t quit. Dust yourself off, make any adjustments, find a better trainer, a more comprehensive system or whatever will get you to your goal. You can do it and you can (and will) make 2024 a great year.