Adam Lueken
Hard to believe, but Q2 of 2024 is almost complete, meaning we’re almost halfway through the year already. This is a good time to take a look back at your goals for 2024 – what has gone well, what needs adjusted and what isn’t relevant anymore. This review will help you ensure you’re on track for success through the rest of 2024.
Are Your Goals Still SMART?
Take a deep look at what goals or action items you originally created. If some are incomplete or not started, what is the reason behind that? A big part of the SMART goal formula is setting goals that are measurable, so progress can be marked. If you set specific measuring criteria at the beginning, use that to measure where you’re at with each goal. Are you on track? Are you ahead or behind schedule?
If you or your team are behind on certain goals, adjust your action plan as needed. Write your goals down if you haven’t, and keep them accessible – whether they’re in a notebook, on your computer or on your bulletin board. Set some ongoing time to review goals and stick with it. Whether it’s weekly or bi-weekly, you be the judge. Make it part of your daily routine. If you’ve set goals with your team, involve them too and set a regular staff meeting or check-in just for goal review. Make sure you’ve set actionable steps for each goal. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when tackling a goal as a whole, but if you break it into smaller steps, it’s much more doable. Set realistic deadlines for your action items too. If you’re struggling to keep these deadlines, what’s the reason? Were they unreasonable or did changes in resources prevent you from meeting them? Also, set a measurable aspect of each goal and assign it a number. That way, you can continually use that number to help measure your progress. Be sure to track each goal by the amount of time you spend on it. This can help you identify areas where you’re getting stuck or spending extra time.
Adjust if Necessary
Consider the following questions: Are your set goals still attainable or still relevant? Did you set goals that were too high? Or are you missing key pieces to achieve them? Are some goals you made at the beginning of the year not as important now? Are your resources available to meet these goals (time, money, knowledge, team support) good enough or is a lack of resources the problem? Or perhaps these goals/action items aren’t top priorities anymore and your goal list needs adjusted? Once you’ve had a chance to review what to keep, add to, remove, etc., update your current list and actions.
Don’t Forget to Celebrate Your Wins
Start your goal review on a positive note by celebrating the achievements you have made so far. Take a moment to acknowledge the goals you have achieved or significant milestones you have reached. Celebrating these accomplishments will boost your motivation and provide the necessary encouragement to continue working towards your remaining goals. Remember, progress is an essential part of the journey, and recognizing your achievements can fuel your drive to accomplish even more.
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