Goals are things that are achievable. They aren’t wishes or dreams that you know are not attainable. An example of a goal is to pay off a certain amount of debt, to hand-make all your greeting cards for the year, to lose 10 pounds, or to learn how to knit. Some things that would be unattainable for me would be to lose 50 pounds, win $1,000,000 in the lottery (I don’t play,) or become President of the United States.
Goals should be given some thought. Don’t write five things down and think you are done. There is a lot more to it than that. Especially if you plan to succeed.
Why set goals?
Goals should add value to your life. They must be of interest to you. They should improve your life or the life of others. Areas to improve include your home, your health, your family relationships, your finances, and your faith.
How to achieve your goals
Last year I set 10 goals for the year. Ideally, if you are setting goals you begin making progress in January so that you will have plenty of time to complete them. It’s pretty difficult if you wake up in October and decide it might be time to get going on reaching your goals for the year. Push yourself if needed. I ended October this year with only five of my ten goals completed, but I still hope to come very close.
Setting goals is easy. Achieving them is not always so easy. To keep you working toward your goals, they should be written down. View your list regularly and be sure you are regularly making progress. Progress could be selecting a design for a remodel of your home. Or maybe you have signed up for lessons to knit. Start a project on January 1, which will take you all year to accomplish, like reading the Bible in a year. It is wise to share your goals with at least someone that can hold you accountable.
Here is a list of suggestions for you to consider for your list of goals for 2021
- Learn something new like how to knit, how to refinish furniture, a new craft, or something else you have always wanted to try.
- Take a college class for the fun of it or toward a degree.
- Learn a second language.
- Learn how to snow ski or water ski.
- Rescue a pet from an animal shelter.
- Donate blood two times, or maybe five times. One donation can save up to three lives.
- Tend to health matters and (if age appropriate) have a colonoscopy.
- Another health matter that women tend to put off – have a mammogram, if you are due.
- Lose ________ pounds.
- Declutter your entire house. This can take a while so maybe tackle a room a month.
- Read the Bible in one year.
- Attend a Bible study.
- Tackle a fear that you hold on to. Maybe try flying on an airplane for your first time. Other fears that can be tackled include going to the dentist or a fear of heights.
- Set a retirement date and stick to it.
- Take your mom on a vacation, while she is still able to travel.
- Purchase a motor home or tent trailer and begin traveling more frequently.
- Set up a budget that is realistic and includes savings for future purchases/home repairs/emergencies. And also be saving for retirement.
- Read ______ books.
- Plan and succeed at holding a surprise birthday party for someone you know that is turning 50, 60, 65, 70, 80, or older.
- Tackle a momentous dream you have always known you could do, but you never have tried. Like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa or Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, California. Go on an African Safari or visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
- Mail a card or letter to someone each month. Ideas: your grandmother, a favorite aunt, the uncle that taught you how to ride a bike, the widow that sits near you in church. You can send this to the same person all year, or to twelve different people. Make their day. And if you want, do it secretly and maybe tell them who you are in December.
My Goals for 2020
In 2020, I set 10 goals. The year isn’t over, but I still have as of November 4th, five left. I think I may have over-committed myself. Plus some of my goals depend on my husband, which is hard to get something completed if the main person involved is not committed. And keep in mind that there is always the possibility that something unexpected gets in your way. I currently have a hairline fracture in my shoulder of my right arm. It is affecting my ability to sew, but I should have worked on this goal sooner.
- Visit 3 states I haven’t been to before. I desire to visit every state in the United States in my lifetime. DONE
- Read 30 books. Last year I read 26. DONE
- Drive my car. This is highly unusual, but since my brain tumor surgery, I am unable to drive. DONE
- To have the hearing in my left ear improved to 30% or all options pursued. Another result of my brain tumor surgery. DONE
- Have our front and back yard landscaping completed so we can enjoy them.
- Clean up/organize our garage so I can park in the garage.
- Lose 10 lbs.
- Pay off all debt. This was on my list for last year and I came close, but not quite. DONE
- Begin and finish three baby quilts.
- Ancestry: Tie at least 10 more people that are my second or third cousins to my family tree.
My Goals for 2021
In 2021, I am going to set ten goals again. Or maybe only eight. Unfortunately, some will be the leftovers that I didn’t finish last year. Right now I’m pretty sure I will not meet my Ancestry goal. And likely my losing 10 pounds isn’t going to happen. At this point, it looks like instead of losing weight, I just might gain it.
I will be setting a larger book reading goal this year since I accomplished my last year’s goal too quickly. I’m thinking I will go for 50 this year. I’ll be repeating the goals to start and finish three baby quilts and visit three states. I hope to do those two every year that I am physically able.
One of my new goals will be to ride my bike. I really wanted to this year, but I had to wait for 6 months following my original brain tumor surgery, which put it to May. My balance was still a problem then, I had another surgery in July, and my balance is still causing me problems. But it’s a hurdle/fear I need to get over.
And I have kept track of my miles walked for several years now. There always seems to be something that stops me from hitting my desire to hit 1,000 miles. 2021 I plan to push harder and make it.
Your Goals for 2021
Let’s see if you can set some goals for 2021. I have given you 21 examples of goals you can set. I’m sure there are others that you can think of which apply specifically to you. I’m hoping my list sparks some ideas that you haven’t thought of, or have buried in the back of your mind. Be sure to make a list that is achievable. You do not want to set yourself up for failure.
Let’s do this together. Comment below if you have made a list of goals for 2021. If you are hesitant, start with one or two goals. It doesn’t have to be five or ten. Commit yourself to this. You can do it!
