How to select your goals for the next year - 7 questions for your annual goal setting process
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
What are your New Year's Resolutions? We get asked this question without fail in December and January of every year. My process has evolved from resolutions to renewing my long-term goals. Resolutions fade quickly, but I’ve found long-term goals to be more sustainable.
The biggest mistake in setting New Year goals is to set unrealistic short-term goals. Now this coming from a guy who sets sky-high goals such as world records. I’m certainly not suggesting to settle for smaller goals.
You should set bold goals that scare you, but you have to first put yourself in a position to achieve them. This means setting smaller short-term goals that will help you reach your bold goals.
“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” - Bill Gates
Success takes time. That’s why I prefer reviewing long-term goals as part of my New Year’s planning process, instead of resolutions.
7 questions to gain perspective on what you truly want next year
Asking the right questions changed my life. I believe in them so strongly that I even created a newsletter where I send one question every two weeks!
The mistake to avoid is thinking long and hard about the answer to ‘what do I want next year?’. You can drink 10 coffees and think about the answer for 10 hours and you still won’t make much progress.
Instead, think long and hard about the right questions to ask yourself. The right questions will guide you towards the right answer to ‘what do I want next year?’. Here are my favorite questions for an annual goal-setting process:
1. If I learn that I have cancer in five years, what will I regret the most not having tried next year?
Regret can shine a light on what you truly want but might not have the courage to do. The pain of regret is much higher than the pain of taking risks and facing our fears. It’s why I like to start the planning process with this question.
A follow-up question: What do I regret not having started 3 years ago?
If you regret not starting a company 3 years ago, how do you think you’ll feel in 3 years if you don’t start today?
2. What do I want my Wednesdays to look like in 3 years?
We often set goals for big shiny things (the dream car, the dream trip, the dream amount of money), but those things won’t bring you sustained joy. Instead, focus on the input/the work, not the output/the results. Afterall, most of our lives are Wednesdays, not the beautiful trips.
Once you know what you want your Wednesdays to look like, ask yourself: What do I need to do next year to get there?
3. Who would be at my bedside today? Who would still be there 2 months from now?
Don’t forget to take a 360 look at your life. Don’t make the mistake of only setting professional and financial goals. Relationships are more important than any amount of money.
4. When did I feel the most inspired and energized in the past year?
Look at your calendar and do an ‘energy audit’. What made you feel the most alive?
5. What drained my energy the most in the past year?
During that same energy audit, look for things that drained your energy.
6. What am I curious about that I haven’t experimented with?
Let your curiosity guide you. I find this question particularly helpful for continued learning. Learning makes every aspect of my life better, yet it’s easy to prioritize everything else.
What I found helpful is learning things I’m curious about. This draws me into learning instead of trying to force it by asking ‘what should I learn next year?’. When I try to force learning, I find every excuse not to do it. But when I’m curious about something, I look forward to it.
7. How many Christmases do I have left?
Do the math, the average life expectancy in North-America is roughly 79 years. How many Christmases do my parents have left? How about my dog (avg life expectancy depends on breed)?
I finish with this question to put things into perspective. It helps me realize that life is freaking short, so I better take action next year. It also reminds me to spend time with the people I love.
And it makes me put down my journal to go play with my dog!
Process tip: Resist the urge to settle on the first answers and move on the next question. We’re constantly trying to be more productive, to get more things done. Fight that urge when it comes to reflecting.
Yes, you will feel like you’re wasting your time. It's uncomfortable, but it’s part of the process.
We’re talking about your future here, don’t look for a productivity hack. Spend at least 10 minutes per question and then let your subconscious do the work (see below).
The power of your subconscious mind in finding answers
Setting long-term goals should take time. It’s not a to-do to check off your list. Give yourself a few weeks before committing to any goal. In those few weeks, give yourself space for unexpected ideas to come up.
Go for a walk without any distractions (by yourself, no headphones). Let your mind wander when taking a shower. Spend time admiring nature. Lay down and look up at the sky.
Try to following exercise when you struggle with finding the answer to a question:
Read the question directly before going to bed.
Sleep without forcing any thoughts.
When you wake up, don’t open your phone or computer. Sit down (with a coffee if that’s your thing, it’s mine), read the question again and this time try answering it.
This process has worked wonders for me in the past. It’s like giving your subconscious a homework before going to sleep.
