Getting Ready for 2013

In just about 6 weeks, we will be celebrating a new year.  What will that year look like for you? Has the year you imagined been the one you experienced in 2012? For many people, that answer would be, no!

So, if you sketched out your goals and aspirations for 2012 and they didn’t materialize, are you reluctant to work on 2013?  Is it easier to not have any expectations than to have some and be disappointed?  Of course it is!  But that is the only agreement you’re going to get from me.  I’ve been there too!  As a matter of fact, not everything I worked towards in 2012 became a reality either, but, if I had not worked on them at all, I would be no further ahead than I was last fall at this time.  Perhaps the words of Tennyson say it better than I;

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

 

What does this mean for you or I?  If you don’t set a goal, if you don’t try you’ll never know what victory would be like.  If you set that goal, work towards that goal, feel the power of that goal and then not quite make it, yes, you’re disappointed but, you have valuable lessons learned along the way.  The strength of what might have been still burns within you and you’re not the same as you were last year. 

So, what would happen if you didn’t set a goal for 2013?  You won’t be working towards something and you won’t be disappointed.  You also, would not have stretched yourself, challenged yourself, required more of yourself or congratulated yourself on the small wins along the way.  But, you most definitely won’t fail, because you won’t play! 

2012 has shown me the best and worst that life has to offer.  I’ve seen the rise of the pseudo-celebrity, but, I’ve also seen rise in the human spirit when called upon in times of trouble.  The pseudo-celebrity is such a good example of the packaging being more valuable than the content.  On the other hand, those who have little are willing to share with others to ensure that every person can regain their dignity. 

Having a plan, setting a goal and working towards that goal is success.  Evaluate it for yourself.  What was your goal?  Did you work towards it?  If you did, and you didn’t make it, do you consider all the work you did as being useless?  Do you think all the lessons you learned along the way have been useless?  Instead of only seeing the negative part of not reaching an intended goal, start to set up your goals for 2013 this way. 

Start by listing what you have learned from this past year.  Yes, good and bad.  Then, move on to using those lessons to assist in crafting this year’s goal. 

What do you want for your life in general this next year?

What could you do towards making some of those things happen?

Now, you can start by using your overall goal for the year and breaking it down into manageable bites.  Prior to each month beginning, evaluate where you are and where you want to be by the end of the coming month.  What does this mean in terms of a month?  Well, the first thing you would be thinking of is – what can I do this week, to make the goal at the end of the month?  As you’re approaching the end of a month and you see the goals you sent still looming as giant shadows, you may realize you have over-budgeted, your strength, your time allotments or any other of a number of factors.  This gives you time to make adjustments for the next month.  Do this month by month, breaking down each month into weeks and see how far you can get.  It’s likely, you’ll be able to reach and surpass some goals some months, while not quite making the goal on others.  But, by budgeting by the month, you don’t become overwhelmed by the whole.

The last thing to think about is being flexible.  Occurrences in life can divert you temporarily from your goal.  Don’t always fight them, they can be beneficial.  I won’t make each month’s goals and neither will you, but, you will keep moving forward and that about says it all!