It’s officially 2020, and while most people are setting goals and making a list of resolutions, I wanted to share why I am focusing on a more realistic and less stressful approach as we head into a year—and a new decade.
Don’t get me wrong, having goals important and necessary. Setting them can be motivating and give you something meaningful to work toward. It’s also a pretty great feeling once you’ve crossed them off your list. But are you doing more harm than good?
Goal-setting, as I’ve shared in my Free Resource Library, is not a “set and forget” process. It takes time and serious commitment, which is something we tend to overlook during the sparkly new year period.
Shiny Object Syndrome
Shiny Object Syndrome is something you’ve probably heard of before. And essentially, it’s the disease of distraction. Equivalent to a toddler chasing a shiny new toy around. Sure, it’s fun for a little while, but then it becomes less interesting as a new shiny toy appears. This continues each time something new and shiny comes along, creating a vicious and never-ending cycle.
It tends to happen a lot in the new year, especially with new business ideas, goals, and courses to explore. The problem is, you lose sight of things you’ve already done or started. This leads to business ideas that are never executed, goals that never get met, and jumping from course to course without ever actually implementing what you’ve learned. By constantly going from one thing to the next without ever seeing anything through to the end, you become a jack of all trades and a master of none.
Just Do You
The best thing you can do to avoid falling into that trap, is stay focused on what you’ve already set out to do. Understand that new doesn’t mean better, learn to differentiate between “shiny new objects” and real opportunities, and give yourself space to process what’s most important. Even if it means waiting to see beyond the hype and mob mentality.
Forget about chasing trends, and try to assess where things fit into your current life and schedule. Is it something you really need right now? Is it going to add real value to your work or business? Following the crowd or the latest “hot thing” is not sustainable. Discipline yourself to stay focused and avoid the noise.
Your mental health and energy are far more important than following what everyone else is doing. Consider how to create a better balance in your daily routine by determining what’s valuable versus what’s distracting. Sort through your social media feeds, Facebook groups, email newsletters and weed out what’s irrelevant versus helpful. Anything that’s irrelevant or distracting you is sucking up precious mental energy.
Let It Go, or Don’t
There is no rule that says once a new year arrives, your goals from the previous year(s) become null and void. It may seem tempting to let go of things that didn’t go as planned, but guess what? Your goals are yours, and you get to make the rules. Goals don’t have an expiration date.
It’s true that good things take time. The most important thing is being willing to keep going. Let go of things that aren’t serving you well or bringing you joy, but don’t be afraid to continue working on things you are passionate about or committed to. Even if it takes longer than you hoped for.
New Year, Same Goals
I didn’t hit all of my 2019 goals, but that isn’t going to stop me from working toward them now. I don’t look at it as failing, and I don’t let myself become consumed by feelings of disappointment because I know that I will get where I want to be.
I woke up on January 1st feeling more determined than ever. 2019 was a great year. I learned a lot about myself and my business. I took risks. I tried new things. I invested in myself. I failed at some things but I succeeded at others. Now more than ever, I am committed to embracing growth and change instead of falling into a negative mindset of “I can’t” or “I won’t.” Those types of thoughts have no place in my life.
It’s a new year but I am still dedicated to my craft, to growing my business, to working with amazing clients, and to supporting and educating other creatives and entrepreneurs. I didn’t set any resolutions for 2020 and am making no promises to myself or the universe. My main goal is staying true to myself and doing what I love in hopes of making a small difference in the world.
But, just in case you’re curious, some of my goals for 2020 and beyond include:
- redoing my bedroom and office
- losing weight
- drinking more water
- being kinder to myself, to others, and to the environment
- traveling more with my husband
- reading more books/watching less TV
- creating more educational content
- launching a design-related course
- saying “no” to things that don’t bring me joy
- continuing to invest in myself, my business, and my community
A New Adventure
As we begin a new adventure, I encourage you to dig deep and stay focused on the things that make you thrive. Embrace the fact that your journey is unique and you have the ability to move at whatever pace works best for you.
I hope your 2020 is filled with success, prosperity, health, love and laughter.
Happy New Year!
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