Autumn is knocking at our back door, (unless you’re in the south, in which case Mother Nature forgot to turn the heat off…), the cold weather will soon chill us to the bone, and before you know it the holidays will be upon us. That means 2020 is coyly peeking at us from around the corner, whispering softly in an alluringly come-hither intonation, “I seeeee you…and I’m waaaaiting. Are you ready?” It’s a siren song that we can’t resist because, well, you know . . . time marching on and all that jazz. goals

Remember how excited you were to wave goodbye to 1999 (while simultaneously being terrified that computers the world over would crash and you wouldn’t be able to get cash from an ATM?!?) and jump feet first into 2000? You took Prince’s lyrics to heart and partied like it was 1999 — and it was!

The heralding of 2020 is like that, too . . . well, sorta.

I bet your eyebrow just raised up in all its incredulous glory, didn’t it?

Let me break it down for you. Like years past (and possibly like roughly 90% of the population), you plan to make grand, sweeping, magnanimous resolutions when the clock strikes midnight on January 1 (many of which you probably won’t keep).

Ahhhhh, the year 2020. Sounds futuristic, doesn’t it? You kind of expect the world to look something like The Jetsons by now. We’re not quite there yet, (but we’re eerily close), however, it’ll still be a whole new year to which we can look forward. And not just a new year . . . it’s the beginning of a whole new decade. I’ll let that sink in while you watch the clip below.

So you’ll make your resolutions. Not only will you map out the next year of your life, but you have a vision; you’ve got milestones to reach over the next 10 years. Half-stepping? Nooooo, not you. You’re thinking long-term. You’re on it, doggonit.

Or are you?

Some people can’t plan out the next six months of their life, let alone 10 years. That’s the uncertainty of the future. We would rather drift aimlessly into it than develop a solid, doable plan that we can stick to. I’m not throwing shade here. Hell, I’m guilty of this infraction myself.

But here’s the thing: why plan to make strides for something that’s 3 months out when you can put those plans into motion now?

Did I just lose you?

Okay, let me put it another way. Instead of saying, “In 2020, I’m . . .”

“. . . gonna start eating better,”
“. . . finally getting in shape,”
“. . . gonna read more,”
“. . . seriously going to get out of debt and get my credit straight,”
“. . . gonna quit smoking,”
“. . . such a heathen; I’m gonna start going to church,”

. . . why not instead say, “Today, I’m gonna start eating better,” or “Today, I’m seriously going to get out of debt and get my credit straight,”? There really is no time like the present. Why? Because in your mind, ‘tomorrow’ will always be there (but will it really?!?). Because ‘tomorrow’ is the easy way out. Because ‘tomorrow’ shows that you’re trying, right? Not really. The longer you put off doing those things that you say you intend to do, you sink deeper into that space of comfort as you indulge in those things that you eventually want to change.

Of course, we all want to do better, to be better, to live better, but we set ourselves up for failure when we aren’t realistic and lack the commitment to actually follow through.

I’m about to toss in a little bit of coach-y, motivational-y, inspirational-y stuff at you, so bear with me. It’s time to get real about whatever it is that we want to do, and that means not so much declaring resolutions but setting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. In short, you should be getting S.M.A.R.T. about your goals.

See what I did there?

You don’t have to wait until January 1, 2020. The same effort that you’ll put forth as you try to keep your resolutions then are the same commitments you need to make to reach your goals today.

How Do You Set Your Goals for 2020?

While this isn’t an exhaustive list, these tips may help you get on the right track to defining and setting your goals.

1. Be honest about what has worked for you in the past and what needs to change in the future.
2. Ask yourself, “How happy am I?”
3. It’s your future, so dream big, but remember . . . dream real. And then set out to design the next 1, 2, 5, 10 or more years of your life.
4. Take a positive approach to setting your goals. Remember to think and be S.M.A.R.T. about them. Don’t just think about your goals; write them down so you have a tangible reminder.
5. Find an accountability partner. This should be a trusted person, someone who will help keep you on track and hold you accountable to help you reach your goals.
6. Once you’ve determined what your goals are, prioritize them inn order of importance.
7. If it’s a big, complicated goal, break it down into manageable chunks. Your path won’t seem as daunting when you take small steps towards success rather than tackling a monumental goal.
8. Persevere. Are you going to run into roadblocks? Yes. Is it going to be tough? Sure will. Will you want to give up? Yup, most certainly. But don’t. You’ve gotten as far as deciding on your goal, planning your road map and moving forward. Now is not the time to doubt yourself, second guess yourself or cheat yourself out of change. 
9. Celebrate. When you reach a goal, give yourself an attagirl, a pat on the back, a glass of wine, a new pair of shoes, a trip to Fiji…or whatever you want to acknowledge your achievement. No matter what the size of your goal is, whether big or small, a win is a win. Let me repeat that: whether big or small, a win is a win. Take it. Own it. Celebrate it.

We’re in the last few months of 2019, but we’re also on the cusp of 2020 — a whole new decade. Don’t just stumble into 2020; go into it with purpose, with goals, and with the mindset that if you want things to change, you have to take that step. You don’t have to wait until January 1; the change that starts with you can begin today.

I know it’s early, but let me be the first to wish you . . . Happy New You!