Until recently, goal setting wasn’t a strength of mine. I used to find it overwhelming and stressful. Finding myself separated from my husband in 2016, I felt a bit lost. I saw my friends achieving major life goals – getting married, purchasing homes, starting families, achieving career success, taking the plunge to chase their dreams in new fields – and in many ways, I felt I was a failure.

I made a commitment to get off my bum and set some goals for 2017. With 2018 fast approaching, I have been reflecting on the past year and – I must admit – feeling pretty chuffed. It has been a big one – I was promoted to a management role; I was recognised as the top biller at work, I obtained my Australian Citizenship and I hit my target for personal savings.

As I wrap up 2017 with a big “tick” against all of my major goals for the year, I now see the enormous value of a goal-driven approach to life, both in the career and personal spheres.

If you’re like me, the thought of setting and achieving goals might be daunting, but I promise, it’s worth it! Below are a few tips to set some goals for 2018 and beyond, and how to achieve them.

1. Get inspired

If you have a friend, colleague or family member who you look at in awe and think – wow, how have you managed to achieve all of that?! Chances are they set goals. If you find yourself wanting what someone else has, set a goal to achieve the same for yourself!

   2. Be realistic

It is important to dream big, but it’s also important to set achievable goals. Is it realistic to save $1,000,000 in one year? That depends on several factors, of course, but if that figure isn’t realistic for your circumstances, you’re only setting yourself up to fail. Choose goals and corresponding timeframes that are realistic taking your personal circumstances, responsibilities, strengths and weaknesses into account.

   3. Ask for help

This can be a hard one, as pride can get in the way – but those same people who helped inspire your goals? They can also help give you practical advice on what worked for them! Don’t be afraid to pick peoples’ brains and ask for advice. You’ll be amazed how happy people are to share the keys to their own success.

   4. Don’t give up

Life is full of roadblocks and challenges and things often don’t go exactly to plan. Don’t let yourself be derailed if the you know what hits the proverbial fan. Sometimes this might mean adjusting your goals to be more realistic in light of your new circumstances – allowing yourself more time to achieve them, or prioritizing and striking the lowest priorities off the list for now. The important thing is to continue to move forward and try, even in the face of setbacks.

   5. Replace achieved goals with new goals

So you’ve set some goals, worked towards them and achieved them? Fantastic! Don’t get complacent and slide back into a day-by-day approach; replaced the goals you achieved with new goals; challenge yourself to achieve even more next year. Once you’ve proven to yourself that you can do it, you will be unstoppable.

I hope this list will help inspire you to set some exciting, achievable goals for 2018. Good luck!