Whew, 2020 was a doozy, huh? Most, if not all, of us had our 2020 goals and resolutions wrecked at no fault of our own. Sure, we’re all used to a resolution failing - but last year was a bit over the top. A new year is something to look forward to, a new opportunity for setting and achieving goals, and getting out of 2021 better than we started. Let’s go ahead and look at ways to set non-traditional resolutions so we can all achieve more in 2021.

1. Embrace skills over materialism
As we mentioned, 2020 threw a wrench in a lot of people’s goals. In fact, as many as 7 out of 10 Americans have decided to abandon their materialistic goals and focus on practical habits and building skills in the new year - from saving money to creating a more positive outlook. It’s one thing to set a goal, though, and another to follow through. Start planning for your non-materialistic resolution by brainstorming areas in your life (career, family, relationships, health, educational, travel, etc.) where you would like to see progress in the upcoming year.

2. Be specific
Within each of your categories, begin to narrow down what kind of progress you would like to see and be as specific as possible. If you’re interested in progressing in your financial goals, for example, lay out specifically what that would look like - saving a certain amount for a down payment, getting a raise, starting a side hustle, etc.

3. Break it down into steps
Goals - like saving 20% for a house down payment, for example - can see overwhelmingly large. The key to success, however, is looking at each goal not as one giant leap but instead as small steps that move you toward a greater target. Breaking that 20% down payment into monthly savings goals is a far more realistic and achievable option.

4. Know your “why”
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by a big picture goal, and it can be discouraging to not see immediate progress. Knowing why you’re working toward a goal or resolution, however, can be extremely motivated. When you’re feeling down about progress (or lack thereof) being made, reminding yourself why you’re aiming for a particular target may be the difference between big achievements and defeat.

--

Wishing you a very happy and healthy 2021,

The CW Print + Design Team