Make 2021 Your Year: Setting Goals and Living with Intention

As we enter into a new year, the energy of 2021 calls for a fresh-start, productivity, and accessing your highest potential. 

While this all sounds amazing, getting to this level of efficiency and connectivity takes a little bit of organization.

From outlining a plan, establishing your goals, connecting to your true essence and actually taking action towards your dreams, 2021 harnesses the energy to get sh*t done.

You’ve been dreaming about your ideal life for years, so what are you waiting for? Make 2021 your year through goal setting and intentional living.

Your 2020 Overview

First, let’s look at 2020.

Before we move onto 2021, reflecting on last year’s performance can help you dial in on your next goals.

At a glance, we may not notice the details of the past year, but when we concentrate and really focus on what worked well (and what didn’t), we’re able to outline a better road map to success for the following year.

So, grab your journal and a pen, and get honest about these questions:

• What were your top five biggest wins of the year?
• How did you progress toward your goals?
• What worked well?
• What didn’t?
• What habits do you want to bring into 2021? Which ones do you want to leave behind?

Growth is all about milestones, and measuring how well we reached our goals during the past year can help us better align our path going forward.

What Do You Want to Accomplish in 2021?

Now, it’s time to dream big.

Where do you see yourself in five years? Don’t worry about making sense of the goal or thinking exactly how you will get there. Just let your mind wander to your dream life.

What exactly are you doing in this vision? Which job are you working? How are you feeling? Who are you with? Where are you? 

Once you’ve gotten a clear vision on your future self, think about what you need to accomplish this year to work towards this dream. It’s ok to still dream big!

For example, if you see yourself in five years with a successful clothing line, then maybe your goal this year is to learn how to sew.

After you’ve figured out your yearly goal, it’s time to break it down into more manageable parts.

Goal Setting: 2021

So, you’ve got your big goal.

Now, you have to figure out how to make it happen.

Have you ever heard the quote, “failing to plan is planning to fail?”

Well, this completely applies to your personal goals, too. You can set a goal to eat healthy and exercise more, but without a plan outlining exactly how this is going to happen, you won’t feel any incentive to stick to your intentions.

Creating a plan starts by breaking down your goals. Think about what you want to accomplish this year in your career and personal life. For example your goals may look like this:

Career goals

• Learn how to sew
• Create business
• Figure out niche

Personal goals

• Eat healthy
• Exercise more
• Read more

While these goals are great, we need to get more specific. Once you’ve outlined your yearly goals, you’ll then break them down into more manageable and measurable parts. Let’s break down the personal goals as an example.

Personal goals

• Eat healthy
• Limit meat intake during the weekdays
• Drink two liters of water everyday
• Eat two cups of leafy greens daily
• Exercise more
• Commit to twenty minute sunset walks
• Workout three times every week
• Start morning routine with a 10 minute yoga flow
• Read more
• Read one book every month
• Join a monthly book club

When we break down these goals into more manageable parts, it’s important to add a measurable component to it. With all three goals, there is a number attached to the task, making it easier to measure success. If you say, “I want to work out more” as opposed to “I want to work out three times every week,” you are setting yourself up for an ambiguous goal that doesn’t have any means to keep you in check.

Take a moment to really dig deep and figure out what you truly want. Then, think about real and actionable steps to get you there. Once you’ve done the work, it’s time to manifest.

Setting your goals through intention

Incorporating mantras into your morning mediation is a powerful way to speak your goals into the universe.

First, you need to create your own mantra. In accordance with your goals, finish these sentences:

I am _______________

I am _______________

I will be _____________

I can _______________

For example, your mantra can be:

I am focused

I am committed

I will be healthy

I can love myself 

Once you’ve set your personal mantra, it’s time to incorporate it into your mediation.