New Year resolutions: How to set a mission statement for 2024

It’s the new year and the time when many of us choose to set resolutions for the coming months. It’s also universally true that very few of us manage to actually fulfil these dreams of becoming the best versions of ourselves. So, here’s some help in turning these lofty visions for the future into achievable goals.

It all starts with making a mission statement for your life. Those may sound like big words, but it’s pretty simple when you get down to it. Ask yourself what you really want out of life. These are questions that you could dwell on:

● What would you do if you could do anything you wanted and get paid for it?

● As a child, what did you dream of becoming when you grew up?

● What are you doing when you feel your happiest?

● Is there anything that you would be willing to risk it all for?

Spend a few minutes, or more, ruminating on these and allow the questions to lead you inwards and into the thoughts and feelings they evoke. Often, in the rush of meeting the demands of our daily routine, we forget to think about what truly inspires us. In fact, you can write down what comes into your mind and revisit them after a couple of days. If you’re feeling like you have lost your way or that something is missing in life, this may help find motivation.

You can dig deeper with these questions, which will also help zero in on what’s missing:

● What do you consider your greatest strengths? How can you enhance these?

● If you had the chance to redo certain parts of your life, what would you change?

● What is it that you are currently satisfied with in your life?

● What is it that you are dissatisfied with in your life?

Now that you have done some soul-searching, you are on your way to preparing a mission statement. But, first, here’s one more thing you can do. Look at each area of your life and check your level of satisfaction and if there are any areas of improvement. Pick one or two areas from these that you want to target and set goals for:

● Career

● Relationships

● Social life

● Achievements

● Finances

A mission statement is not something to be done in a hurry. Look at what you have come up with after going through the pointers. Take a walk, listen to music and clear your head so that you feel in touch with your core. Let that inner voice tell you what it needs from you at this point in life.

Now, write down your goals. You don’t have to get it right the first time. Make a list of perhaps 10 and then prioritise the ones you consider critical.

Look at your list and set deadlines for when you would like to achieve them — three months, six months, a year, more than a year? It’s a good idea to look at goals that are less than a year. Now break these down into sub-goals. Once you’ve done this, you’re looking at a plan of action!

Also, ask yourself:

● Why is this goal a must for you?

● What will it do for you?

● What will you lose if you don’t achieve it?

Here are some examples of goals that you may want to set:

● Losing weight

● Starting your own business venture

● Getting a promotion

● Creating more time for family

● Learning a new language or skill

Your sub-goals are as important, if not more, than your goals. For instance, if you’re planning on losing 20 kilos, break it down to 3 to 5 kilos a month. This will provide a sense of achievement and motivate you to go forward to achieving the main target. Also, remember to set a strategy in place for how you’re going to make this possible, such as finding the right instructor, approaching friends or colleagues for references, and so on.

Creating a mission statement helps put your life in perspective. And setting precise goals with a specific timeline in mind ensures that you are on the right track to achieving them. The new year is a great time to get started!