December tends to be a time for reflection as we gear up for the New Year. Who doesn”t get excited about the promise of a fresh start” Some people look forward to leaving a year behind and taking on a new year with drive and determination. While many of us are committed to New Year”s resolutions, by the time mid-January rolls around the energy and excitement to make the new year bigger and better disappears. This trend keeps fitness centers in business. A spike in membership followed by a few weeks of dedicated exercise that ends up with people paying for a membership that they don”t take full advantage of…and eventually cancel.

We don”t want you to make a list of New Year”s resolutions. We want you to start a new habit. We want you to embrace the practice of goal setting all year long. It is not just about setting goals though. You need to make these goals a reality, and we want to help you with that. This is just your year to get started with this new way of thinking.

Setting Goals & Making A Plan

Make your list and check it twice. But it is more than just writing your goals on a piece of paper. You have to strategize how to make it really happen. Creating a tactical list of action items to accomplish your goals is as important as acknowledging the goal itself. Think about the details. What is it going to take to accomplish the goal”

For some people, the easiest thing to do is to think about five or ten years down the road. What do you want to accomplish by then” Setting these long term goals will allow you to work backwards and think about what you need to accomplish in the next year or two in order to make those big dreams come true.

Goal: I want to be the Director of Design of a major design firm.

If you are a student, the first step is graduating from college. But selecting the right classes will help to better position you for that goal. Think about the different classes that will support this type of leadership position. Business classes or maybe even another major or minor may become the short-term goal. And obtaining an internship with the type of firm you are interested in should be on your goal list too. Another goal would be to talk to professionals in this position and find out how they achieved their success and what they recommend you do.

To recap – The Action Plan for achieving your goal:

• – take leadership and business classes
• – obtain an internship with a firm you are interested in working for
• – arrange for informational interviews with executives currently in a role you are interested in someday

However, thinking this far in the future can be too overwhelming for some people. In that case, keep it simple. What ten things do you want to accomplish this year” Well, it doesn”t have to be ten. It could be more or less, but it needs to be a list that motivates you rather than overwhelm you. Your goals can”t stress you out. They have to suit your life and personality. And it helps to frame your goals positively. Ultimately, you have to be jazzed about them enough to commit time and resources to accomplish them.

Goal: I want to graduate with honors by May 2015.

Do you have your class schedule planned to accomplish this” Your goals can be the classes you want to take and what you need to do to achieve the grades you want to. Are there core classes that you need to take in a specific order and are they only offered certain semesters” Plan accordingly.

Do you need to overload your credits to graduate in that time frame” Think about the special permission you may need and whom you have to talk to make that happen.

And if you struggle in certain areas, what can you do in order to achieve your goal of graduating with honors” Do you need a tutor or more time”

Finding more time could mean you need to quit a part time job to focus on school or get a full time nanny so you have the time you need to complete class projects. It may also mean letting go of book club for a semester, or that after-hour volleyball team.

To recap – The Action Plan for achieving your goal:

• – ensure your class schedule will allow you to graduate when scheduled
• – focus on school work (quit job and extracurricular activities)

Prioritize and keep your eye on the goal, but allow yourself some flexibility with your Action Plan. Various tactics and actions may need to be adjusted due to unexpected circumstances. Remember that what matters is whether you reach the goal, not how you get there.

While you need to set goals in a manner that best suits you, we encourage you to think beyond your graduation date so you can start building a network to support your future goals.

Set Up A Support System

It”s our nature to procrastinate and lose focus of our commitments. When a goal seems too far out of reach, it is easy to get distracted and quit. Don”t. You may adjust the route, but it will feel amazing when you do reach the end line.

Develop a support system that will hold you accountable to your goals. Have a friend take the role of a “coach,” a person to make sure you are meeting your milestones. Set up weekly calls or emails where you have to report on your progress.

Alternatively, use a third party goal setting service like lifetick.com. Remember what we said earlier: It”s about building a new habit, not a temporary change in behavior. Be the change you want to see, right”

Reward Yourself

Incentives are also in our blood stream. Kids do their homework incredibly fast when they get to play their favorite video game in the end. Or don”t we all find ourselves working hard for the weekend” When you finally reach the goal, celebrate! Plan something fun and unique to reward yourself and your support group. Make it special, go to a fancy dinner or throw a party. And next time you set an important goal, you will be that much more eager to reach it!

Start Now

There is no time like the present. Celebrate the end of 2013 and embrace 2014 with a new way of thinking. Be a goal setter and a goal achiever. Make a commitment to yourself and your future. Commit to a goal, make a plan, and reward yourself for a job well done…then do it over and over again.

Jenny Schrank, Allied ASID, and Aga Artka, Allied ASID, LEED AP, work together to educate and motivate young design professionals to take charge of their lives and build careers of their dreams. They started a career building newsletter and are working on a career development publication, which is planned to be released in 2014.

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