New Year. New Decade. New Opportunities.

January 6, 2020

Written By Katrina Burgess, Aquatics Coordinator

It’s the year 2020! Here at Recreation Centers, we have been looking forward to a brand new year with all of you.

With each yearly ball drop, people set new resolutions for the days ahead. Let’s think about how many of these “resolutions” are actually seen through the next year and how many have been achieved. You in fact, may have experienced how your new year resolution starts out strong in January, but fades once February or March comes along. I want to challenge you to see your goals through to the year 2021. I personally believe that less goals in specific areas of your life is key to behave consistently and create lasting personal growth throughout your everyday experiences.

In order to create lasting goals, I follow Dave Ramsey’s goal setting principle.

  1. The goal must be specific

  2. The goal must be measurable

  3. The goal must have a time limit

  4. The goal must be yours

  5. The goal must be in writing

These goals do not need to be year-long goals, they can also be short-term or long-term goals within different areas of your life. Below are the seven categories I like to review when setting my goals each quarter of the year.

    Career

    Career goals can be as simple as finding your true passion, landing a job that feels like a dream, growing within your current position, creating or updating your application resources (resume, LinkedIn, portfolio, etc) or obtaining a raise or promotion. Remember to look toward the future.

    Financial

    Finance always has a wide range of obtainable goals. Have debt and need to pay it off? Create a short-term goal of a specific amount each month and a long-term goal of when you want it all to be paid off. Do you want to save an emergency fund? Maybe limit those Starbucks drinks you consistently pay for and save that cash instead. Remember that the goals must be determined by your own needs.

    Spiritual

    Even at a Christian university, it may be hard to feel close to Christ. Maybe your spiritual goal will be consistently reading the Bible, doing devotions, tithing, or finding a community of likeminded people. Remember, be specific.

    Physical

    I would love to know how many people have set the goal to have a six pack by Spring Break over the past 10 years. Hint, it’s honestly not very realistic! Remember to create long-term goals relating to your overall well-being, strength, or diet and focus on how you physically feel.

    Intellectual

    Intellectual goals may involve educational or professional learning outcomes. Graduating this year? Wanting to make the Dean’s List? All these are goals you can write down, even if you’re sure you’ll achieve them! Remember to make sure these goals are measureable and planned for the upcoming semester.

      Family

      Setting family goals may be difficult for you, and that is 100% okay. Family goals may involve calling a parent on the weekends, spending time with a sibling who’s in Lynchburg, or prioritizing your spouse after work. Remember that every person is different and all goals will be relevant to you as your own person.

      Social

      Social aspects differ depending on which season of life you are in. Maybe it means to learn how to say “no” to things that make you feel overwhelmed, or start saying “yes” because you know you need a strong community of friends and support. Remember to live a balanced life.

      What are you waiting for? Go write down your goals!