2024 is winding down. Have you taken time to review your goals for the quarter or year? Have you put any thought into new goals for 2025?
Many times I would have passing thoughts around this time of year that “oh, it would be nice to do this” or “this year I’m going to finally do that.” When you tell yourself that you’ll remember all those great ideas, that means you’re sure to remember them, right? Not so much. By the time the new year began and life got busy, those goals had faded into obscurity in my mind.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Which leads me to what is an overlooked step when goal planning: take a few seconds to write or type your goals so you have something to come back to. Don’t just keep your goals in your mind—jot them down and store them somewhere. When it’s out of your head, it’s more real, and you can keep coming back to gauge progress.
Even if you see yourself as a memory expert, writing goals down increases your odds of accomplishing them. You may think, “It can’t help that much, can it?” Believe it or not, taking the time to write down your goals can boost your odds of accomplishing them by 42%. That’s pretty significant.
Writing down a goal doesn’t mean you’re committed to it right away. You don’t want to be overwhelmed with too many projects or goals at one time. It’s ok to have a list of goals to pull from when the time is right.
For example, if you want to take 5 walks outside each week, that might be a tough quarterly goal during winter when you have to contend with ice and snow. Consider sticking to the treadmill during the winter and shoot for that goal in the spring.
Here’s to 2025!
Maybe it’s completing a database migration, improving specific database metrics, or learning something new. Maybe it’s eating healthier or losing weight. Whether you’re considering work goals, personal goals, or a mix of both, taking the time to write them down can give you the edge you need to succeed.
Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!
Chad Callihan 