When it comes to goal setting, you could argue that setting yearly goals is almost the most important. This is because it sets the tone for your monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly goals as well.
With that being said, in this blog post we are going to show you exactly how you should go about setting your own yearly goals.
Start By Reviewing and Reflecting On The Year Before
The main objection is to get better every single year. In order to do so, you need to be able to figure out what you did wrong and what you did right. Start by writing down things that you’ve done that you want to continue working on, and also things that you want to make sure not to do again.
You want to review the last year in multiple facets of your life. From your career, fitness, relationships, health, etc.
For this process it’s important to take out a journal and write it down or use some type of document to track your progress. You need to really take your time for this aspect as it will be the foundation of next year’s goals.
Create New Goals Based on Your Review
Now that you have a good idea of what needs to be done in each area of your life, it’s time to set the goals for the next year.
For this part you’re going to set goals for each category. It should look a little something like this.
Health
- Lose 20 pounds to get to goal body fat percentage
- Limit fast food (because last year you ate too much)
Career
- Increase the amount of relationships you have within your network which will help you increase the amount of sales you make.
Relationships
- Take your Girlfriend on more dates, as you’ve realized last year revolved around work and you need to be more present with her.
Finance
- Save 10% of your total income, instead of 5%
Personal Development
- Read 20 books within the year
Side Hustle
- Write 200 blog posts for the year for your blog
These are just examples, and you could have more than one or two goals for each category. Just make sure you’re realistic within your goal setting approach so your not miserable throughout the year.
Break Down Goals into Monthly, Weekly, and Daily Objectives
So the work doesn’t stop there. That was actually the easy part for you as all you had to do was list your most important broad goals that are easy to write down. The next aspect of setting goals for the year is to break down the goals into monthly, weekly, daily, and last but not least hourly objectives.
First Things First: Set Action Steps For Each Goal
Let’s take the example of the 200 blog post goal.
- Write a blog post every other day to reach the 200 blog posts within the year
- Plan Research and an outline for every single blog post coming up
- Plan out your distribution strategy by lining up the social media channels you will use to distribute the content
Now here’s a chart to break that down into the time frames we mentioned above.
| Timeframe | Task | Description |
| Monthly | Blog Post Goal | Aim to write approximately 17 blog posts per month. |
| Content Planning | Brainstorm and list potential blog topics for the month. | |
| Distribution Strategy | Plan and schedule the social media channels you will use to distribute content. | |
| Weekly | Research & Outline | Assign specific topics to each blog post and create an outline. |
| Writing Schedule | Write blog posts every other day (3-4 posts per week). | |
| Social Media Content Preparation | Create and schedule social media content to promote your blog posts. | |
| Daily | Writing | Allocate time for researching, writing, and editing blog posts. |
| Distribution | Share published blog posts on social media channels according to the plan. |
Let’s take one more of those goals and create the same type of chart.
Here’s another example.
Goal: Lose 20 pounds to reach your goal body fat percentage
Action Steps:
- Create a meal plan that is tailored to you
- Exercise 5 times per week
- Adjust meal plan according to lost weight
| Timeframe | Task | Description |
| Monthly | Goal Setting | Set a monthly weight loss target (e.g., lose 4-5 pounds per month) to reach your 20-pound goal. |
| Meal Plan Adjustment | Adjust your meal plan according to your weight loss progress and body’s needs. | |
| Weekly | Meal Planning | Plan meals for the upcoming week, ensuring they align with your nutritional requirements. |
| Exercise Schedule | Schedule five workout sessions per week, incorporating a mix of cardio and strength training. | |
| Progress Review | Track your weight loss progress and adjust your meal plan or exercise routine as needed. | |
| Daily | Meal Preparation | Prepare meals according to your tailored meal plan. |
| Exercise | Complete your daily scheduled workout. | |
| Hydration & Nutrition Tracking | Track your daily food intake and ensure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day. |
This chart will help you manage your weight loss tasks on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis, providing a structured plan to achieve your goal of losing 20 pounds and reaching your desired body fat percentage.
Combine These Goals Into a Weekly Schedule
Here’s a combined weekly schedule for blogging and weight loss.
| Day | Blogging Tasks | Weight Loss Tasks |
| Monday | Research and outline the week’s blog post topics | Meal planning for the week |
| Write a blog post | Exercise: Cardio (e.g., running or cycling) | |
| Create and schedule social media content for the post | ||
| Tuesday | Write a blog post | Exercise: Strength training (e.g., weightlifting) |
| Create and schedule social media content for the post | Track weight loss progress | |
| Wednesday | Research and outline the next blog post topic | Meal preparation |
| Write a blog post | Exercise: Cardio (e.g., swimming or HIIT) | |
| Create and schedule social media content for the post | ||
| Thursday | Write a blog post | Exercise: Strength training (e.g., weightlifting) |
| Create and schedule social media content for the post | Track weight loss progress | |
| Friday | Research and outline the next blog post topic | Meal preparation |
| Write a blog post | Exercise: Cardio (e.g., hiking or dancing) | |
| Create and schedule social media content for the post | ||
| Saturday | Write a blog post | Exercise: Yoga or stretching for recovery |
| Create and schedule social media content for the post | Track weight loss progress | |
| Sunday | Rest and recharge | Meal preparation |
| Plan for the upcoming week’s blogging tasks | Plan exercise routine for the upcoming week |
Last Step: Create a Daily Time Block Schedule For Each Task Of The Day
Time blocking is setting time for specific tasks throughout your day. It’s extremely important to stay focused. The final step in setting goals for the year is to set a time blocking schedule based on your weekly schedule. This will enable you to take action efficiently.
Here’s a time-blocked schedule for Monday, incorporating blogging and weight loss tasks:
| Time | Task |
| 6:00 AM | Wake up, morning routine |
| 7:00 AM | Exercise: Cardio (e.g., running or cycling) |
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 9:00 AM | Research and outline the week’s blog post topics |
| 10:00 AM | Write a blog post |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch |
| 1:00 PM | Create and schedule social media content for the post |
| 3:00 PM | Meal planning for the week |
| 4:00 PM | Work on other tasks or projects (e.g., emails, meetings) |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner |
| 7:00 PM | Evening routine (e.g., relaxation, hobbies) |
| 9:00 PM | Prepare for the next day (e.g., pack gym bag, review schedule) |
| 10:00 PM | Bedtime routine |
| 10:30 PM | Sleep |
Of course the schedule will be much more dense because of the fact that I only used goals out of our examples. However, this gives you a great head start on figuring out your goals for the year.
Here are some things you should keep in mind while planning this out.
- Make your most important tasks first for the day: When you first start your day, you have the most energy. That means you should start your day doing tasks that are the hardest and most important.
- Use a calendar for each time frame.
Monitor and Adjust Your Goals Throughout the Year
As much as you should want your goals to stay exactly the same throughout the year, usually a couple things change. The process in which you thought would work might not be the best course of action, so it’s important to adjust your thinking.
- As you’re following through with your goals, it’s ok to make adjustments and change up your strategies as long as you are still working towards the end goal. Just be sure to adjust your schedule as needed so you could keep an efficient work flow.
- Work along with someone to keep yourself accountable.
- Although you may have not necessarily hit your end goal, don’t be afraid to celebrate small wins.
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped you visualize your own goals and get everything situated for the next year ahead, so you can work on your journey to success.
I’m interested to hear what your goals are for the next year, it inspires me to focus harder on my own. Share your own goals in the comments below!