YEARLY GOAL PLANNING

Goal planning is an exciting time of the year.  It is a great time to look back at the past year, celebrate the wins and successes, and reflect on what did not happen and what is still important as we move into the new year. This is the perfect moment to reflect on what you desire and want to be intentional and deliberate about in the coming year.

People can feel jaded about setting goals because they see them as fleeting intentions, such as New Year’s resolutions that last a week and then fade away. This happens because people do not tend to surround themselves with a plan that creates meaningful change and action. By working through this Performance Planner, you will not only reflect on the past but also plan for the future. It provides a structure and system to help you stick with your goals and achieve meaningful results.  Goals are not just about setting intentions. Intentions are great, but they are only as effective as the actions, focus, and drive behind them. This planner helps you bridge the gap between intention and action. Download and print the attached planner or save it on your desktop for the year you are planning. Begin working through it step by step. There are five main steps, and each step has two to three micro-steps to complete.

You might choose to dedicate an hour a day to the process or take a full day to work through the entire workbook. Personally, I love taking a full day to dive into the planner, going to the beach or somewhere relaxing where I can focus and truly enjoy the process of planning.

Years ago, around 2000, I had a mentor who shared with me that he and his wife took a planning retreat each year to talk about the different areas of their life: marriage, work, family, and all. They discussed what was working, what was not, and what they wanted moving forward. At that point, I was newly married, and he encouraged Mike and me to consider that type of ritual for ourselves. I thought it was a great idea, and each December or January, Mike and I would take the week between Christmas and New Year’s to go to the beach for some downtime and planning.

A few years later, when I attended Coach Training Institute, I learned about the Wheel of Life. We used that as a model for assessing the eight main areas of our life. Each year, we would rate the eight quadrants from zero to ten, compare our wheels, and talk about what we wanted to change. We would set individual goals and a goal for our relationship or marriage, something we wanted to work on together, like finances, saving, school planning, or home improvement projects. Whatever our shared priorities were, we made sure to align them.

When we had our girls, we continued to go to the beach and still do this planning, even though it became a little more difficult. However, it was always worth it to keep this tradition alive. Now, 25 years later, this practice is still very important to me and remains part of my regular end-of-year habit and ritual. I find it incredibly useful to reflect, assess, and set goals for the next year. This process has helped me evolve my life and goals in great ways. While I sometimes look back and see that I have been working on a similar goal for five years, there are other goals I have achieved in one year. The point is not about judgment or how long it takes but about taking the time to reflect and set meaningful goals.

Usually, my last call of the year with clients involves guiding them through the Wheel of Life to reflect on their past year and set goals for the year ahead. For those who are ambitious, I encourage them to work through the entire Performance Planner. Over the years, the planner has evolved. My old planner had ten steps; this updated version has five steps with 15 micro-steps. It also includes new elements like the vision board and the word of the year, which I have found instrumental in keeping goals and visions alive.

Goals are not just about setting intentions. Intentions are great, but they’re only as effective as the actions, focus, and drive behind them. This planner helps you bridge the gap between intention and action. Download and print the attached planner or save it on your desktop for the year you are planning. Begin working through it step by step. There are five main steps, and each step has two to three micro-steps to complete.

If you need help, please reach out. It can feel overwhelming at first but try to focus on one step at a time. Year after year, as you repeat this process, you’ll see great progress and results. Don’t give up and remember that every step matters.

Enjoy the planner. Work through it step by step and do your best to complete all the sections. It truly makes a difference. Good luck!4