Every January, I go through a ritual

Every January, I go through a ritual.

But this year was different.

What’s the ritual?

Goal-setting.

Let me explain the process first.

I reflect on the previous 12 months and practice gratitude.

I review the prior year’s goals and assess.

I set goals for the next 12 months.

I develop a plan to accomplish the goals.

But as I went through the process, I got stuck.

There were no “big new goals” this year.

I wondered,

“Am I not applying enough of myself to the goal-setting exercise?”

“Am I not pushing myself enough?”

“Have I gotten comfortable?”

After sitting with these questions, I had a new perspective.

While there were no “big new goals,” the specifics evolved.

Numbers went up, goals got more focused, and I even eliminated some.

I felt better.

So I moved on to develop a plan.

Here, I reverse engineer the goal.

What do I need to do to accomplish it?

How do I measure if I’ve succeeded or not?

What is the next actionable step?

Once again, I got stuck.

Now, there were no “breakthrough strategies or tactics.”

Once again, I questioned my vision and effort.

But this time, I only pondered for a few minutes.

It all became clear.

I have a long-term vision.

Over the last several years, I’ve been working towards it.

Slowly but surely, reaching milestones.

My goal-setting ritual isn’t necessarily about changing that vision.

It’s an opportunity to celebrate wins, assess progress, and optimize.

Little change means I am on the right path.

Think about your personal and professional goals.

Are you defining your vision?

Are you in need of “big new goals?”

Are you in need of “breakthrough strategies and tactics?”

Or, like me, are you in need of just holding the vision and trusting the process?