According to researchers, approximately 80% of resolutions are abandoned before the end of January. Many of these failed resolutions weren't specific enough to be achievable. Others were too ambitious to be realistic.
But perhaps the biggest impediment to hitting a goal is motivation. Too many folks follow popular trends or their friends' reading lists towards goals that look good on social media but don't feel important enough to follow through on.
A better way to create meaningful change in your life might be to reexamine the relationship between your biggest priorities, your most valuable assets, and your Return on Life. Run through this three-step exercise and you'll identify ways to use your time and money better in 2024.
1. List your priorities.
Goals are things that we would like to achieve. Priorities are the things that matter the most to us.
Sometimes the lack of progress we feel in life occurs when we confuse the two.
For example, we might tell ourselves that earning a promotion at work is a priority for the year ahead. But why, specifically, is that a priority?
Because you want to earn more money?
For what?
So that you can provide a better life for your family?
Then earning more money or career advancement aren't really priorities – they're goals in service of family priorities.
As you develop your list of priorities don't just rank them in order of importance. Think back on the previous year and give yourself a grade on how well you lived by those priorities: A, B, or C. Are the Cs really priorities? Do they belong on this list? Or have you identified an important area of your life that you've neglected and where you want to be more intentional in the year ahead?
2. Review your calendar.
If you still have last year's calendar on your phone or on your desk, flip back and look at how you filled in your days.
What kinds of events and appointments took up most of your time?
Would you say you spent more time doing things you had to do or things you wanted to do?
Did you organize your personal time around work? Vice-versa? Was there a healthy balance between the two?
Did you block off time for your personal wellness, including exercise, mental health, and learning?
And how did the blocks on your calendar align with your list of priorities?
Rather than "resolving" to improve your health or take more vacations, flip to your 2024 calendar and start scheduling priority activities now. Yes, life will get in the way, and you might have to give yourself permission to draw some Xs or arrows. But you'll be far more likely to spend time on your priorities throughout the year if you prioritize them now in your annual planning.
3. Review your banking statements.
Many financial institutions now send "year in review" statements that break down your spending into categories. You can also search and sort through your online monthly statements to create your own reports.
So, where did your money go last year?
Do you feel good about your top spending categories?
Are there areas where you can and should economize?
Are you dedicating enough of your financial resources to your top priorities? Or do you need to revise your monthly and annual budgets so that you can get more from your money than just money?
Our Life-Centered Planning Tools can help you reassess your priorities and identify ways to improve your satisfaction with your life, work, and finances. Schedule an appointment and let’s start making the changes that will matter the most in 2024.