My Annual Goal Process

When I was about to turn 22, I had a meltdown. Anxiety. Stress. Worry. Doubt. All of the above. I realized that I didn’t know where I was going to live after college. I didn’t have a job, or even an internship lined up. I was second guessing every choice I had made because I felt unprepared for life beyond school, and the date was nearing fast.

During this panic-fest, I looked over on my desk to see a black journal I had yet to use.

I had always struggled with the ideas of journals or diaries, mainly because I tried to start “my story” at the beginning. I always started a diary with my background on my family, my schools, etc. Then, I’d throw the diary away because it felt like a lot of life to catch up with in order to get to the present moment.

Anyway, I noticed this empty black journal, and I thought to myself, “just make a list of things you want to do, and work towards crossing them off.” As much as journaling makes me uncomfortable, I excel at crossing things off lists. So I started writing the list. I decided I’d write 22 things for my 22nd year. There were big things on this list, like “Move out of Iowa” and “Get a post-college job” but there were small things on there too, like “try a new food” or “get my helix pierced” (That’s the little spot on your ear where your ear connects to your sideburn area)

Then I decided that the pages after that would be check-ins. How I’m working towards those goals, and any other current life events of interest.

Looking back, it’s amazing how much this practice saved me in a lot of ways. I was able to better cope with anxiety, stress, and worry. Instead when I’d be feeling this way, I’d flip back to the list of goals, and pick one to make progress towards. It gave me purpose. It helped me get back on track to be the person I wanted to be when I first wrote in this little black book.

As I was about to turn 23, I flipped through the pages and reflected on how much I had done and how many things I had crossed off. (14/22 accomplished) I also realized how vague some of the goals were, such as “eat healthier,” “be happy,” “get more organized”

It was also apparent that some of these goals, weren’t things I really wanted to do, but seemed impressive at the time, like “go skydiving” or “learn one song on the guitar”

Reflecting back on the year, I also saw how many blank pages were still in the book. So I did it again: 23 goals for the year 23. I wrote up 23 more aspirations. This time I made them more specific, and on par with things I actually wanted to do. I completed 16/23 of those goals.

I’ve continued this every year on my birthday. It’s a fun tradition. I spend a few weeks thinking of the goals for the next year, and revising the list. I make sure they’re attainable, and measurable. I even have it to a point where I have them sorted by category; finance, health, travel, career, hobbies, etc. It’s been the most rewarding challenge I’ve ever experienced.

This year, I turned 29. I made 20 goals- I’ve found that between 20 & 25 for a year is good, beyond that it gets to be too much. I’ve expanded this goal chasing to also live on a bulletin board in my office so I can see them every day. I can easily think about how I’m going to tackle the next goal and how to strategize about the one after that.

I highly recommend starting a goal list. I’m not a supporter of “New Year Resolutions” because, that’s just a date on the calendar, and it’s a societal pressure, not a personal one. Pick a date that’s important to you. For me, it’s my birthday. I can’t forget that date, and it’s technically MY new year. It works for me. Find what works for you. Put your goals and dreams in writing. That’s the first step to making them a reality.

You don’t need to share it with others. Just admit to yourself you want to go after these things. In fact, I didn’t share this practice with anyone until about year 24. For me, it was deeply personal and I didn’t want people prying or judging me for my list. Do this for yourself, and no one else. Try it out. If it doesn’t work, try something else. Recalibrate how you do it.