Raise your hand if your 2021 didn’t go as planned.
Ah, a sea of waving hands, confirming what we, collectively, already knew. While 2021, in general, wasn’t as tumultuous as was 2020, we still, as a nation, as businesses, and as individuals, faced extraordinary challenges. As the virus situation improved, supply chain issues exploded, and employee shortages threatened the comeback, so many companies fought so hard to achieve. And families continued to struggle with changing childcare scenarios, educational hurdles, and a multitude of lifestyle adjustments.
Even as we look toward 2022 with tremendous yet cautious hope, we’re questioning how to approach the new year. Of course, many folks gave up “New Year’s resolutions” years ago. But even when we don’t publicly announce it, most of us do set personal goals or, at the very least, make a mental note to strive toward this or push toward that. Even when past attempts have yielded disappointment, there’s something about a fresh, new year that jumpstarts a desire to improve and make changes.
If you are torn between chastising yourself about what you didn’t accomplish in 2021 and deciding whether to bother setting goals for 2022, cut yourself some slack. Stop the critical mental monologue and skip the guilt trip. Even if the blame is solely yours and yours alone, bemoaning wasted opportunities will not ready you for pursuing an improved 2022.
Whatever you label these pinings as aspirations, goals, or resolutions, boost your chances for success with these strategies.
1. Grab pen and paper
Record the goals circling in your brain. Why bother? Because those who commit their goals to paper are 1.4 times more likely to succeed than those who don’t write them down.
2. Now, put those penned objectives to the test—the tangibility test.
For whatever reason, the potential of a new year stretched before us causes some folks to pause their critical thinking skills. Their grasp of reality takes leave, resulting in pie-in-the-sky dreams that all-to-often result in devastating failure.
There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big as long as said dreams are grounded in a solid, tangible reality. First, be responsible enough to call an unrealistic goal what it is. Then, modify it to reign in the too-difficult-to-achieve result or shelve it for a more suitable time. Further detailing a plan will help to determine whether the aspiration is realistic.
3. SMART Goals
While some goals may pass the tangibility test, dreams with the highest chance of realization, also need to be SMART. SMART goals are—
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Timed
Goals and aspirations that meet this criterion will offer the greatest reward as they are substantial enough to have a noticeable impact. Why waste time and energy on a wishy-washy goal that, even though unmeasurable, will leave you feeling lousy if you feel as if you’ve missed the mark? If you’re going to reach for something in 2022, make it be something of substance.
4. Expect pushback
Be prepared for challenges, from friends and family who poo-poo your aspirations and your waning enthusiasm to the chaotic nature of life. Determine an action plan that will help you combat obstacles. A friend whose tough love will spur you on. A review of the written reasons that drove the creation of the goal.
Make 2022 a Success with A.R. Mazzotta
Here at A.R. Mazzotta, our number one goal for 2022 is to continue making right-fit connections between Connecticut’s best businesses and talented candidates. So let our Career Placement Services make your career goals a reality in 2022.