You’ve packed up and moved countries and now you can’t leave your house because of a pandemic! Does it feel pointless to devote a pandemic restricted January lockdown to goal setting?
Here are 5 top reasons to focus on your life in the New Year.
Goals and resolutions place you in learning mode
New Year's resolutions provide a vehicle for learning. You get to build on prior knowledge, identify ways to gain deeper insight, and move towards achieving something that is important to you. What's not to love about spending time on yourself and higher order thinking?Goals and resolutions bring the future into focus.
Mindful acceptance is valuable for managing a pandemic but it’s ok to think ahead. Goal setting shifts your thinking to the future. It gives you permission to imagine, visualise and explore through planning and strategising. At the very least, exercising these parts of your mind is stimulating. At the very most, it reminds you of what gives you joy.Goals and resolutions sustain the collective as well the individual.
What was the important life lesson from 2020? We live in partnership other species in a fragile world that is undergoing rapid change and threat. Political, climate and economic volatility has left many individuals feeling depleted and disheartened. Goal setting goes beyond your solo life - individual development and social change are linked. Consider setting goals that relate to strengthening interconnections or community. These types of goals empower you, help to support others and contribute towards harmonious living. And that feels good, doesn't it?Goals are not only for the workplace.
Governments, companies, NGOs and public sector organisations all plan for a future and, in our roles as employees, we generously contribute to these plans. Why not give yourself the benefit of looking ahead? Better still, support yourself with proven effective goal setting. Conduct your own research into life planning. Google scholarly articles, read evidence based books and listen to podcasts or Ted Talks from credible people.Goals motivate you lead a fulfilling global life
Many people leave their homeland because they are drawn by the excitement of adventure and new experiences. Goal setting allows you to revisit the big questions underpinning your relocation to a new country:why did I leave?
what do I want?
how will I achieve my goals
Drifting through a new life abroad is a perfectly fine way to gain new experiences. Incorporating some planning gives you an ability to flex your creative mind, achieve something truly meaningful and understand yourself better.
Every great journey ends at a destination. Make sure it’s a destination that truly works for you.