Jan 1st is only a couple of days away and it's that dreaded time when some of us feel forced to create goals that we want to set out and achieve for the new year. 2020 left us with an ever-mutating and contagious virus that is Covid-19. Fortunately, it can only go up from here, right?

While this year had its ups and down, one thing that most people were grateful for oddly enough was more time. Time to spend with the ones we love most, time to break up our schedules by working from home, time to incorporate more self-care into our busy day-to-day schedules, and time to spiritually retreat inwards. Whatever it was for you, 2020 probably gave you great insight into what you don't want your 2021 to look like and maybe areas of your life you've decided it's time to make a change. After all, we all could've died. So what does your life mean to you and what do you want to make out of it? How do you set habitual goals that will actually stick for years to come?

A lot of us can get really excited when making goals for the new year, but we want to make sure that these goals are actually attainable and reasonable to achieve. It's so easy to get caught up in goals that are actually other people's goals that we know we won't be in the right mindset or environment to see through. It's important that we be as real and realistic as we can when it comes to working towards them, and that we're not just going after things that sound good on paper (or even just our heads).

Set SMART Goals

The most important aspect of setting goals is making sure they are S.M.A.R.T. Which stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound, respectively. I created an IGTV video (@morgannblackman), where I explain in detail what a SMART goal is and how to write one out effectively. When you set a long-term goal it's best to set them out quarterly, up until the end of the year or into another year or two. Any goals after the two-year term should just have the goal written out for that whole entire year.

Break down your goals into smaller ones

You want to make sure that when writing out a goal you break it down into baby steps. You're not going to run a 5k marathon right off the bat, but that is your overarching main goal. Instead of making a SMART goal for such a large feat, we can start off with smaller sub-goals of that same goal to easily build up healthy habits that will last us in the long run. So instead of writing out a goal to run a 5k marathon, you could write out a goal to run a 1k marathon. Then once those goals are completed work your way up to a 2k, then a 3k, and then ultimately your 5k run. This can help you to realize smaller aspects of the goal that will motivate you to reach new heights and eventually bring you closer to the bigger and final stages of your desired outcome.

Start small. Just because you start small, that doesn't mean it's going to take you longer to get to your ultimate desired outcome or goal. If anything, starting small builds good habits from the beginning and then ultimately builds momentum.

There's a great book written by James Clear called Atomic Habits, that I highly recommend you read. The purpose of his book is to teach us how to build lasting habits and that all we really need to do is get 1% better each day. As humans, we want to get 100% better at something right away, and it's just not realistic - in the end, we give up because the stakes end up being too high or the pressure becomes too overwhelming. So make sure your goals are easily achievable by breaking them down into smaller fragments and slowly reaching those breakthroughs over time.

Surround yourself with your own goals

On a piece of paper or a sticky note, write out a SMART goal or a desire you'd like to manifest in one or two sentences. The idea is to be very clear and concise about what it is you are working towards. Write your goal out on sticky notes (different colors) and place them around your house, where you know you will easily be able to see and read them.

This method is a great reminder and a way to regularly have your goals move from the back of your mind to the front of your mind without any additional work on your end. In your everyday life, as you're making certain financial decisions, you will have these sticky notes to remind you of your purchases and to be mindful of how you're spending now will affect your long-term goals.

This method is also a great way to keep your goals embedded in your subconscious mind, as the more you see them in your environment your mind automatically will make decisions that work towards them. Seeing the images of what you're working towards on a consistent basis helps to keep that picture in your subconscious thoughts and then act in ways to ensure you receive them. Always keep in mind that if you keep your goals out of sight, they will literally become out of mind.

Other hacks and tips for sticking to your goals

Create notifications on your phone that remind you of taking action toward a specific goal. So example, if I want to start meditating for 5 minutes every day I would set an alarm at a consistent time each day to show up and remind me to meditate. You could also prompt your phone to remind you when you need to pay your bills or to go set time aside to budget etc.

Revisit your goals

One thing that people tend to do is set a goal and as time passes forget to revisit it or update their plans. Situations change, time-commitments change and so your goals will over time start to change too - and there is nothing wrong with that. Don't think you're less of a person or a failure for maybe having to make adjustments to your goals as you go, if anything this makes you more than likely to realize it than if you didn't.

This same idea applies to financial statements. I'm always just looking at my finances whenever I can because the more I revise my budget and my systems the more responsible I become and am able to prevent financial mishaps from happening

Whatever your goals decide to be moving forward and into 2021, atleast ensure they are SMART and easily visible. Always keep your goals in sight and re-visit them every quarter to track progress and make adjustments as you go. Truly embodying your relationship with money and the goals you have set out for yourself is so important!

To watch the video this blog post, click here. You can also download my free e-book on Mastering Your Money Mindset, where I delve deeper into setting gals and what they should look like.