Welcome to 2021, how’s it going so far for you? Psychologically a new year is an opportunity to reflect on the previous year and then motivate and look to the future. It’s no coincidence that a lot of people start looking for new roles at the start of the New Year. This time of year makes us look for new beginnings and wanting to improve ourselves and how we feel about our lives. 

But this time of year can also be hard and to kick-start our motivation. Listening to Joe Wicks (The Body Coach) on TV the other morning he said that he doesn’t wake up motived, which is why he has a plan. As all you Fans of Plans already know, having a plan will help to keep you on track for achieving your goals. So now is the time to think about your short, medium and long-term plans for 2021. 

Here are a few ways to help set a goal and keep motivated:

Make yourself the star of your own news article

What do you want to achieve by the end of this year? Think of one thing you want to achieve at work this year, be that a completing a project, achieving your set objectives or getting that new job. Once you have thought of your goal, write it in the form of a news article – imagine it being published in your local newspaper – even give yourself a snappy headline (for example “Camborne woman gets her dream job”). By writing this news article (it need only be a couple of paragraphs) about what you wanted to achieve, how you achieved it and how it made you feel to reach your goal, it can help to motivate you into achieving it.  Throughout the year, take a look back at what you wrote to help remind you of what you want to achieve – this can help you to keep the focus. 

Short term planner

Once you have worked out where you want to be by the end of 2021 – how are you going to get there? This might seem a bit daunting as a whole, so break it down into bite-sized steps. This could be weekly or monthly – whatever feels achievable for your end goal. The trick here is to make it realistic. Allow for any set-backs that could happen so that you don’t feel demotivated by not achieving a step by your deadline. Be kind to yourself.  

I’m quite a visual person – so I like to create a colourful chart for what I want to achieve each week – I enjoy the process of writing things out and adding images next to them. But if you are more tech-minded, you may prefer to use a planner online, such as Trello. Think about your style of working and use a tool that you know will work best for you. Some things are best kept in your comfort zone to help you achieve your goals. 

What if my end goal changes

We all know that plans can change, especially as we look to longer term goals. We need to be able to embrace this change and refocus. You may feel your motivation suffer at the thought of having to change your goal. Change can be a difficult thing - we all deal with change differently and it may take us a bit of time to come to terms with it. Again don’t be hard on yourself here, change is a part of life, find someone you know that may be able to understand the pressure you may be feeling and confide in them. You might be surprised at how understanding a colleague can be and may be able to offer you advice or just be a sounding board for your change in approach. Letting people know your goals can help to keep up the motivation as they may be able to help you, offer you encouragement and help keep you on track. 

Enjoy the process  

Achieving your goals may well take you out of your comfort zones and give you new challenges. But take a look back along the way and take time to reflect on what went well and what you’d do differently next time. Don’t be afraid to be a bit indulgent – celebrate your successes throughout the year. By celebrating being out of your comfort zone you can associate this with positive memories. This will help to make you more resilient, productive and able to embrace change in the future.