Annual reflection is much easier than annual goal setting.
Annual reflection is a one time event that is carried out by reflecting on the previous 12 months.
Annual goal setting is a different story – annual goal setting isn’t a one time event.
Annual goal setting is a continuous process of learning, sharing, reflection & change that is worked on EVERY DAY FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.
This is what makes annual goal setting COMPLEX AND TIME CONSUMING, it is also what makes it INTERESTING AND WORTHWHILE.
Before we set goals, it’s good to highlight how important Annual Goal Setting is.
Annual goal setting gives us DIRECTION for the year ahead.
Where we end up as a result of goal setting is UNKNOWN but wouldn’t you rather be going in the DIRECTION YOU SET instead of anywhere else?
Annual goal setting gives us PURPOSE & MEANING and the more we work on our goals, the more PURPOSE & MEANING we bring into our lives.
Who wouldn’t like more DIRECTION, PURPOSE & MEANING?
I’ve been sharing my Annual Review online for 10 years yet this is the first time I have shared my Annual Goals. I divide my Annual Goal Setting process into 3 parts, detailed below
A. Categorise my life using The Wheel of Life
B. Create a framework for Annual Goal Setting
C. Document my Annual Goals
A. Categorise my life using The Wheel of Life
The change tool I use to categorise my life is the Wheel of Life. The Wheel of Life has been widely used since the 1960s and so it has been around a very long time. The tool itself has not changed but how we use it evolves as our lives evolve. My Wheel of Life consists of the following categories,
1.Sense of Self
This is a category that I created recently as much of my time is spent here at the moment.
This category combines my personal development, personal strategy and my relationship with myself.
This category is all about who I am, who I want to be, who I need to be to achieve my dreams and how I feel about myself and the world around me.
This is also where I work on the concepts of Self Love, Self Worth, Self Esteem, Self Belief, Self Trust, Self Confidence, Self Assurance, Self Understanding, Self Regard/Self Respect, Self Awareness and Self Observation
The success of this category determines the success in all other categories of my life and so it is the most important category in my Wheel of Life.
It is well known in the world of personal development and business that if we don’t work towards our potential as a person we’ll never reach our potential in any of the other areas of our life.
2. Relationships – This category is about my relationship with others in my life
3. Health is Wealth – This category is about my mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health
4. Work – This category is about the work I do
5. Finance – This category is about personal finance
6. Social Life/Fun – This category is about my social life, having fun and recreation
7. Environment – This category is about our home on a personal level and our planet on a global level
8. Contribution – This category is about how I give back to a world that gives me so much
That’s it, my Wheel of Life.
What are the categories of your life?
Would you use some of the above categories?
B. Create a framework for Annual Goal Setting
My annual goal setting format is short, simple and pretty high level yet it is detailed enough to give me enough direction to create plans. I use the below format for each area of my Wheel of Life, asking the questions
I. What are my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS?
II. WHY are my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS important to me?
III. HOW will I achieve my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS?
IV. What METRICS will measure progress towards my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS?
Below is an outline of these questions in detail,
I. What are my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS?
This is not an annual goal but more of a LIFETIME DREAM that annual goals work towards!
Remembering Brendon Burchard’s DUMB goals
What are your DREAMS for every area of your life?
What would be a DREAM come true?
This is where we DREAM BIG about what we want for our lives.
There are no limits or obstacles in DREAM DRIVEN GOALS – just DREAMS!
HOW BIG WILL YOU DREAM?
II. WHY are my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS important to me?
Simon Sinek in his highly viewed Ted Talk and bestselling book says to START WITH WHY and that is where I start with goal setting.
I outline WHY DREAM DRIVEN GOALS are important to me.
Understanding my WHY not only supports the goal setting process but it also keeps me going when times get tough, which they inevitably will.
What is your WHY?
WHY do you want to FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS in each area of your life?
WHY are your DREAM DRIVEN GOALS important to you?
III. HOW will I achieve my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS?
The HOW is the actions taken to move closer to DREAM DRIVEN GOALS.
What ACTION do you need to take to get closer to your DREAM DRIVEN GOALS.
What do you need to START OR STOP DOING to move you closer to your DREAM DRIVEN GOALs?
What do you need to LEARN to move you closer to your DREAM DRIVEN GOALS?
IV. What METRICS will measure progress towards my DREAM DRIVEN GOALS?
Metrics are incredibly important as without them we don’t know how much progress we are making and whether we are moving towards or away from our DREAM DRIVEN GOALS.
What metrics will you use to measure your progress?
‘WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS IMPROVED’ is a quote by Peter Drucker that is as true today as when he said it 40+ years ago.
That’s it, that’s my simple, short and high level format for Annual Goal Setting.
Could you use this format for your own goal setting?
You’ll notice I don’t include timelines in my Annual Goal Setting format – this is on purpose.
How could I possible know when I will get to a year’s worth of goals?
I create TIMELINES when I create my PLANS and these change on a DAILY BASIS.
C. Document my Annual Goals
I document my Annual Goals in Google Docs & Google Sheets and for the first time I have shared them online here in this blog post.
Below are my 2023 Annual Goals for each area of my Wheel of Life:
1. SENSE OF SELF:
What are my Dream Driven Goals?
To prioritise, work on, know, understand, accept grow, learn about and love myself to bring the best version of my truest, most authentic self to my life, my relationships & the world.
To utilise, learn more about and improve my personal strategy.
Reminder:
This category combines my personal development, my personal strategy and my relationship with myself.
This category is all about who I am, who I want to be, who I need to be to achieve my dreams and how I feel about myself and the world around me.
This is also where I work on the concepts of Self Love, Self Worth, Self Esteem, Self Belief, Self Trust, Self Confidence, Self Assurance, Self Understanding, Self Regard/Self Respect, Self Awareness and Self Observation.
The success of this category determines the success in all other categories of my life and so it is the most important category in the Wheel of Life.
If we don’t work towards our potential as a person we’ll never reach our potential in any of the other areas of our life.
WHY are my Dream Driven Goals important to me?
Our only source of real happiness and joy is within ourselves and so however we feel about ourselves is what we will bring to the world. In order to get the best out of and bring the best to the world I want to be the best version of myself.
As mentioned above, if I don’t work towards my potential as a person I’ll never reach my potential in any of the other areas of my life and reaching my full potential is really important to me.
My personal strategy keeps me on top of everything & ensures I get everything done with no stress, strain or pressure! The more visibility & understanding I have in my life, the more I can see what areas I want to improve and change.
When I don’t utilise my personal strategy I feel disorganised, overwhelmed, under pressure, less grounded, less happy & less fulfilled.
HOW will I achieve my Dream Driven Goals? What actionable steps will I take in 2023?
- Create my Personal Strategy for 2023
- Carry out daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly & annual plans and reviews
- Journal daily and weekly (daily journaling is a game changer in terms of self awareness)
- Spend sufficient time in solitude – I’m an introvert and so solitude is as important to me as oxygen is!
- Read physical books and give away books I no longer need
- Learn more about sprituality, psychology and concepts of self (basically learn more about myself!)
What METRICS will measure progress towards my Dream Driven goals?
Progress in terms of ‘Sense of Self’ is difficult to measure, it’s almost intangible. It is however closely linked to my happiness, contentment and fulfillment of which all of the above add to immensely
- *Process confirmation that all elements of personal strategy is being carried out (plans, reviews, journaling etc)
*Process confirmation is a tool we use in the Lean world which tells us whether a task has been carried out or not
- Progress on all Sense of Self concepts & learning
- Number of books read & given away
2. MY RELATIONSHIPS
What are my Dream Driven Goals?
To continuously nurture my relationships & spend quality time with Mike, my family & friends ❤️ This part of my life is really just about enjoying the company of those I love and who love me ❤️
There is no greater gift! ❤️
WHY are my Dream Driven Goals important to me?
My relationships with those I love are my greatest source of happiness and I want to ensure my relationships are given the time and space they deserve ❤️
I am at my happiest when in the company of those I love and who love me ❤️
The work I do in the ‘Sense of Self’ category will also support this category to ensure I bring the best version of truest, most authentic self to my relationships ❤️
HOW will I achieve my Dream Driven Goals? What actionable steps will I take in 2023?
Spend precious time with Mike, my family and friends – a simple goal yet one that brings the most joy in my entire life! ❤️
What METRICS will measure progress towards my Dream Driven goals?
There are no metrics in this category although I do ensure I capture the precious time I spend with those I love in photos and journalled memories ❤️
3. HEALTH IS WEALTH:
What are my Dream Driven Goals?
These Dream Driven Goals are short and simple yet much work is required to work towards them.
Mental & Emotional Health: To continuously protect & nurture my mental & emotional health
Physical Health: To continuously work towards being the healthiest, fittest and strongest I can be
Spiritual Health: To grow and stay grounded spiritually
WHY are my Dream Driven Goals important to me?
My health is the foundation on which everything else is built. Without health, nothing else can thrive.
In 2022, my entire perspective on health changed. It is no longer about being healthy because I enjoy eating well, exercising and fitting into my clothes.
Health is now about longevity and having health, fitness, strength & mobility to enjoy that longevity.
Dr Lisa Misconi says ‘Your health in mid life is the biggest determining factor of your health in later life’. This is why it is so important to become the healthiest, fittest and strongest than I have ever been!
I feel more grounded, happy, less anxious, less overwhelmed and more at peace with myself, life & everything when I feel fit and healthy.
HOW will I achieve my Dream Driven Goals? What actionable steps will I take in 2023?
I make the same health goals every year and have learned that progress is not linear.
Some years I am at my healthiest, fittest and strongest and some years I am not. What matters here is not so much progress, but what I learn about my health and the continuous work I put in to improving it.
1.Mental & Emotional Health:
To allow, accept, understand and prioritise what supports my mental health. For me, mental health is the most important element of overall health as without optimum mental health, nothing else will function optimally.
To allow, accept, understand and prioritise what supports my emotional life. I’m an Enneagram 4 and so pretty much live on my emotions! Managing my emotions needs to be a daily practise to stay sane!
2. Physical Health:
Continuously work on my physical health to be the healthiest, fittest and strongest I can be. I do this through embedding healthy habits for nutrition, exercise, sleep, relaxing etc. Here I schedule and monitor results of health check ups – optician, dentist, bloods etc.
3. Spiritual Health:
To learn, grow and stay grounded spiritually. This category is very much tied to the work I do in the ‘Sense of Self’ category and will ensure I bring the best version of my truest, most authentic self to my health and all aspects of my life ❤️
What METRICS will measure progress towards my Dream Driven goals?
- Where I am on the Stress Performance Curve & the Emotional Scale
- Health metrics of BMI, Weight, Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Bloods,
- Health checks completed and progress on same
4. FINANCE:
What are my Dream Driven Goals?
To achieve and enjoy Financial Freedom.
Financial freedom is defined as ‘having sufficient income, savings or investments to live comfortably for life and meet all one’s obligations without relying on a salary/paycheck’.
I have learned a huge amount about Financial Freedom from Tony Robbin’s excellent book ‘Money – Master the Game’. Tony says Financial Freedom is ‘a long-term plan to build the life of your dreams. Success is doing what you want to do, when you want, where you want, with whom you want, as much as you want, that’s also financial freedom’.
Both of these definitions sit well with me and sum up my Dream Driven Goals for Financial Freedom!
WHY are my Dream Driven Goals important to me?
I want the freedom to do whatever I want with my precious time.
I want the freedom to work for joy and not for the necessity of money.
I want the freedom to give as much time as I want to other areas of my life
For me, financial freedom isn’t about having a certain amount of money, it’s more about using my financial situation to have the freedcom to enjoy all other areas of life as much as possible.
HOW will I achieve my Dream Driven Goals? What actionable steps will I take in 2023?
I use the word ‘abundantly’ throughout my 2023 financial goals as I believe that reaching financial goals has as much to do with mindset as it has to do with money.
If you haven’t read Carol Dwecke’s book ‘Mindset’ I highly recommend that you do. This book teaches the difference between having a Growth Mindset and a Fixed Mindset and the consequences of both.
I truly believe that having a Growth Mindset in terms of finances is the first step to reaching financial goals.
- To abundantly spend and enjoy spending
To enjoy spending money and monitor my spending.
- To abundantly increase my financial value
To increase my financial value through savings and investments.
My financial value is my total savings, investments and pensions. Financial value is a better metric than salary as while you could be staying on the same salary, your financial value could be increasing depending on your savings, investments and pensions.
In stark contrast your salary could be increasing but if you’re not saving and investing, your financial value will decrease.
I have 2 very large projects planned in this category this year which involves selling/buying property. I also have many smaller projects that will all move me a few steps closer to financial freedom.
I am currently on a break from earning money even though everything I do is geared towards becoming financially free! I have thoughts of returning to earning money but I don’t have a timeline yet! 😊
- To abundantly stay out of consumer debt
This is no longer a goal but something that needs to be sustained. I keep this documented as a reminder that consumer debt is something I never want to go back to. Whilst all my reasons/excuses for getting into consumer debt were justified (living my best life, building an investment portfolio, becoming a travel photographer), it took me years to dig my way out of it and it’s a place I never want to visit again.
- To abundantly learn more about finance
To learn more about personal finance and continue to embed a Growth Mindset in terms of finance.
I haven’t read many books on finance as it’s not my favourite subject but the books I have read made a huge impact on me. Below are books I highly recommend to learn more about personal finance.
Money – Master the Game by Tony Robbins – I highly recommend this excellent book’. It’s a huge book and I didn’t understand much of it but it’s worth reading for chapter 8 which is all about Financial Freedom and how it’s not as difficult to achieve as you may think.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill – this bestselling book was on my bookshelf for years before I finally read it last year and I look forward to reading it again this year. It’s the type of book that you can read over and over again as you go deeper and deeper into it’s wisdom. A must read for anyone serious about financial freedom! 😊
Mindset by Carol Dwecke – this book teaches the difference between having a Growth Mindset and a Fixed Mindset and the consequences of both. I believe having a Growth Mindset is the first step to improving personal finance.
What METRICS will measure progress towards my Dream Driven goals?
- Progress in large and mini projects
- Monitor & document total spend which is Detailed spend, Capital spend, Business spend
- Monitor & document total financial value which is Profit, Property & Pensions
- Monitor & document total Earnings & Debt
- Document financial learnings
5. WORK:
I currently spend the least time in this category which is ironic as for 25 years it is where I spent the most time! Even though I now spend the least time here, it is the life category that is changing the most.
Having left my day job in October 2021, I am currently in between working for others and working for myself.
My focus at the moment is on my writing and building the foundation of my business through my Lean Business Strategy.
What are my Dream Driven Goals?
To be a writer.
To build my own business.
To practice and teach Lean philosophy.
To continuously learn and improve my skills.
To enjoy every minute of this process.
WHY are my Dream Driven Goals important to me?
My favourite thing to do is write
My second favourite thing to do is read which helps me be a better writer.
I have always wanted to work for myself and my business is my channel to achieving financial freedom.
I want to have total freedom over my work, my time, my finances and my creativity.
I want to learn more about myself, other people, Lean and business.
HOW will I achieve my Dream Driven Goals? What actionable steps will I take in 2023?
Lean Business Strategy
- Create more time to write, read and create content
- Start building my Lean Business Strategy
Writing
- Send weekly mail to my community – you can sign up for my weekly email here
- Carry out a Digital 5S Project – I’m so excited to get back to practicingLean after a break of almost 18 months! 😊
Income
- Return to Travel Photography work in some capacity. I have missed Travel Photography immensely as I haven’t dedicated much time to it in the past few years.
Learning
- I have bought loads of courses that I want to finish but these are on hold for the moment.
What METRICS will measure progress towards my Dream Driven goals?
- Progress in creating more time to write, read and create content
- Progress in my Lean Business Strategy
- Mailing list metrics & engagement
- Progress in Digital 5S Project
- Progress in Travel Photography work
- Learnings and improvement in my skills
6. SOCIAL LIFE/FUN/RECREATION:
What are my Dream Driven Goals?
To have fun, smile, laugh out loud more & don’t take life too seriously!
WHY are my Dream Driven Goals important to me?
Because it makes me feel good! 😊
HOW will I achieve my Dream Driven Goals? What actionable steps will I take in 2023?
- Spend time with loved ones who make me smile & laugh and bring me so much joy
- Be more aware of everyday activities that bring me joy and do more of them
- Be more aware of everyday activities that don’t bring me joy and do less of them
What METRICS will measure progress towards my Dream Driven goals?
There are no metrics in this category although I do ensure I capture fun times in photos and journalled memories ❤️
7. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT:
What are my Dream Driven Goals?
To improve and enjoy my environment which is our home on a personal level and our planet on a global scale. Remove everything that doesn’t serve me and only keep what brings me joy.
WHY are my Dream Driven Goals important to me?
Because it makes me feel good and I enjoy looking after & improving our living space – both on a personal and global level 😊
HOW will I achieve my Dream Driven Goals? What actionable steps will I take in 2023?
- Carry out Marie Kondo’s decluttering in our home.
Marie Kondo’s overarching teaching is to remove anything from our homes that doesn’t SPARK JOY! Marie’s book ‘The Magic Art of Tidying Up’ is a must for anyone who wants more space in their home and life!
2. Decorate our home with the support of an interior designer
3. Reduce my plastic usage and find ways to support the longevity of our planet
What METRICS will measure progress towards my Dream Driven goals?
- Progress in Marie Kondo’s decluttering on our home.
- Progress in decorating our home with the support of an interior designer
- Progress in supporting the longevity of our beautiful planet
8. CONTRIBUTION
What are my Dream Driven Goals?
To have sufficient financial stability to give to those in need.
To contribute to the world with my time & skills.
WHY are my Dream Driven Goals important to me?
I want to give back and support those less fortunate because the world has given and continues to give me so much 😊
HOW will I achieve my Dream Driven Goals? What actionable steps will I take in 2023?
- I have been supporting 4 main charities that mean a lot to me for many years. All of these charity direct debits are currently on hold as I’m not working but I contribute financially to charities with once off payments.
- Contribute to the world with my time & my skills – this means different things at different times.
What METRICS will measure progress towards my Dream Driven goals?
Monitor what I give and the impact on others and on me
That’s it, my 2023 ANNUAL GOALS that support my long term DREAM DRIVEN GOALS ❤️
Remember goal setting is just an activity and reaching goals is just a destination.
What is really important is that you enjoy the journey between these 2 points in time.
How you live, love through and enjoy each and every day is really what matters.
To be content, happy and full of joy & vitality every day, that’s the real goal – everything else is just decoration!
Whatever your goals are for 2023, I wish you love, laughter, success, happiness and enjoyment every single day as you work towards them.
Thanks for reading,
Siobhain
x x
