It’s a new month, which means it’s time to set some new goals!
If you’re not already part of the “new month, new goals” mindset club, this might sound like a big ask. Setting new goals every month? Sounds tiring!
What I’m here to show you is that not only is it achievable, but that adopting this regular approach to setting and achieving goals can help you feel more accomplished in your everyday life.
Ready to start embracing the concept of “new month, new goals?” Let’s go!
Why goal setting is important
We’re used to goal setting in the context of New Year’s Resolutions and those fresh starts that the New Year brings. What we’re less used to is the idea that you can set, start, and finish goals at any time of the year — it doesn’t have to be something you decide on January 1st.
Goal setting throughout the year is a powerful way of understanding what you want, staying motivated, and making progress towards the direction you want your life to go in.
Setting (and achieving) goals on a regular basis can:
- Help you track your progress towards a big life goal or milestone
- Motivate you to take action or move to the next step
- Encourage you to try new things and get out of your comfort zone
- Remind you of how successful you are, even when you don’t feel it
- Support your personal development
- Help you create a positive mindset
- Make it easier for you when it comes to setting boundaries and balance
As someone that’s historically bad at setting and sticking to goals, adopting this approach has proved a game changer for me. I feel more motivated, and I’ve noticed that actually there’s so much we do achieve every month, and every single new day — we just don’t take the time to notice and appreciate it.
How to set and track achievable goals
Anyone can say “I want to do this,” but for goals to actually stick you need some tried-and-tested strategies to help you out. Here’s how to approach setting goals every month to set yourself up for success.
1. Reflect on the previous month
The beginning of a new month is the perfect time to reflect on how the last month went. Especially if you make it part of your monthly reset routine. Think about your previous goals — did you achieve them? What did you enjoy most about the last month, and what would you change? What went well, and what didn’t?
Ask yourself some questions to get a feel for how the previous month went for you — both in the context of goal achievement and life in general. You could even put together a standard set of questions that you use every month, so you have another way to measure your progress.
2. Set an intention for the next month
Every month is a new beginning, which means you’re always free to set a fresh intention to guide you through the next one. Using your reflections on the last month, figure out what your overall goal is for this one and what you’d like to set as your focus or intention.
Your focus might be on physical health, mental health, your career, school or college, relationships, friendships, or self care. Maybe you decide to make this next month all about being more in the moment, or you want to make some positive lifestyle changes. Use that intention or focus to help you set realistic goals that you can check off your list.
3. Set SMART goals
To stand the best chance of succeeding, your goals and new intentions should be achievable. Make this happen with the help of the SMART goals system and actionable steps to help you get there.
Here’s what the acronym means along with some questions to help you form your own SMART goals:
- Specific: What exactly is it? How do I achieve it?
- Measurable: How do I track and measure my success against this goal?
- Achievable: Is this goal actually possible?
- Realistic: Is this goal realistic for me to achieve with my time and resources?
- Time-bound: When will I complete these tasks? When will I achieve this goal by?
Use this approach to help you set more realistic and achievable goals. For example, instead of a goal of “working out more” your SMART goal might be to attend a weekly pilates class and go swimming at the weekend. By making your goal more specific, it’s easier for you to achieve it.
4. Use software to help
You don’t have to keep track of your goals and progress all by yourself. While physical notes and writing in your journal is absolutely a great way to track your goals, I know that for some of us there’s no way we’d remember. Luckily, there’s plenty of tools that can help you track your goal progress.
Here are some of my go-to app and software suggestions for goal setting and tracking:
- Trello: for a simple, Kanban-board style way to move goals from “to do” to “done” (free)
- Notion: for if you want to set up your own personalized system (free)
- ClickUp: for a more automated approach to tracking goals, with more visual dashboards (free and paid)
There are so many apps and tools out there for this kind of thing! If there’s another app you know and love, let me know about it in the comments section.
5. Check in on your progress
Throughout the month and at the end of the month, take some time to consider what you’ve achieved and which new opportunities you’ve embraced. Reflect on the days and weeks so far, and how your progress stacks up against what you expected.
Celebrate your success, and put plans in place if you know you’re not going to hit your goal and you still want to. You might decide your goal is no longer important, or that you want to adjust it slightly. That’s totally okay too! The idea is that the process helps you stay motivated every month, no matter what your specific goal is.
New month, new goals: tips for success
If you follow the system above, you’ll be well on your way to goal setting and achievement success. If you want some extra tips though, here are some of my go-to ways to help me get closer to achieving my new month, new goals.
1. Match your new monthly goals to your yearly goals
Having monthly goals is great, but ideally they should tie into your long-term goals so you can always feel like you’re moving forwards. This is especially helpful for those of us that get distracted and need a little reminder of what our end goal is.
Think about your long-term goals and what you want your life to look like. Maybe you dream of opening up your own homestead and growing your own, or becoming a digital nomad and traveling the world. Maybe you’re excited about founding a tech startup, or maybe you want to embrace minimalism. Whatever your big goals are, they should drive your smaller goals.
Reflect on your biggest goals and put together a vision board that puts them front and center. Revisit this every month as you think about your monthly or weekly goals, so you always have your dream in mind when you set your intentions.
2. Create smaller goals to stay focused
For some people, a monthly goal is all they need to stay motivated and focused. For others, they need a bunch of smaller goals that they can order, prioritize, and check off as they work through them. If you’re in that second group, I highly recommend setting weekly or even daily goals to motivate you throughout the month.
Think about your big monthly goal and how you can break it down into smaller steps. If you want to improve your illustration practice, set yourself a goal to create something new every day. If you want to grow your freelance business, set a goal to reach out to 5 new potential clients every week. Whatever your goal is, there’s a way to break it down and make it more manageable and motivating.
3. Use affirmations and motivational quotes
If they work for you, affirmations and inspirational quotes can be a big help when it comes to staying focused on your goals. Whether you like to read life quotes, new month quotes, or inspirational affirmations, these guiding words and images can remind you of exactly what you’re here for.
If you like positive words, I’m putting together a big collection of all my favorite affirmations. There are already lots of affirmations ready to go, but I’ll be adding to it over time with words for every moment — whether you’re starting a new job, letting go of the past, or saying goodbye to self doubt. I even have a dedicated collection of new month affirmations to help you with this exact task!
4. Encourage others to get involved
Setting goals can be highly motivating, and it’s a good habit to form if you want to drive yourself forward. Introduce some friends, online communities, or family members to the concept too and see if you can all get together to talk about your goals every month.
This is a fun way of adding another feel-good vibe to the goal setting and tracking process. Get everyone together for a virtual coffee and talk about your goals, create goal trackers and motivate each other to succeed, and be each other’s biggest supporters.
5. Motivate yourself with rewards
What feels even better than achieving one of your goals? Rewarding yourself for it! If you respond well to rewards, this is a great way to make you stay motivated and encourage you to continue on your journey.
Your reward doesn’t have to be big or fancy. It can be as simple as an extra hour reading your favorite book, or picking up your favorite seasonal drink from the coffee shop. For bigger goals, maybe your rewards get bigger. Land a big new client for your freelance business? Invest in yourself with new technology that makes your work easier, or a new course that helps you expand your skills even further.
41 new month, new goals ideas for your goal list
The new month brings so many possibilities. There are SO many things you could do, it’s almost impossible sometimes to know where to start. That’s why I’ve created this fun list of different goal ideas so you have lots to consider all in one place.
These are more general goals, so it’s a good idea to use the SMART goal approach to personalize them before you try to achieve them. I hope they provide some helpful inspiration as you set your “new month, new goals” targets!
Career goals
Want to make a big career change, or maybe you want to move up the ladder? Excited about creating your own path instead? Here are some popular career goals to get you started.
- Ask for a raise
- Go for a promotion
- Apply for a new job in a different field
- Create a new study habit
- Attend a business networking event
- Explore college courses or education routes into a new field
- Interview with another company
- Ask for an introduction
- Start a side hustle or go freelance
Financial goals
Want to save more and stop spending less? Have a big financial purchase you want to plan ahead for? Here are some financial goals to consider.
- Save a specific amount
- Spend less on takeout
- Create monthly budgets for different areas of your life
- Start a rainy day fund
- Try a savings challenge
- Make a regular monthly donation to charity
- Clear your debt
- Open a savings account
- Learn more about investing
Health and wellbeing goals
Ready to make a big lifestyle change, or want to improve your physical or mental health? Explore these health and wellbeing goals to get inspired.
- Move your body every day
- Spend less time on social media
- Practice better digital self care
- Book sessions with a personal trainer
- Go for a walk every day
- Embrace all the things to love about yourself
- Get more sleep
- Try meditation or mindfulness
Relationship goals
Need to set some boundaries with family members, or want to get out and make new friends? Here are some positive relationship goals to try out.
- Make plans to see friends more often
- Establish and keep boundaries
- Throw a self care party for loved ones
- Try a new class or group to make friends
- Go on a solo date
- Have a heart-to-heart with a family member or partner
- Try a new dating app
Self care goals
Need to invest more in your self care, personal growth, or want to introduce some daily routines to help you nourish your body, mind, and soul? Explore these self care goals.
- Make time for self care every week
- Create a slow morning routine or evening routine
- Write a grocery list or meal plan every week
- Do something that makes you happy
- Learn a new language or a new skill
- Plan a self care day
- Declutter your space
- Experiment with your personal style
Get inspired with the new month, new goals approach
Adopting this “new month, new goals” approach is a fun and effective way to take steps forward every month. This new mindset can help you get to know yourself better, set meaningful goals, and take action in the areas that mean the most to you at the start of a new month.
I hope you try this concept out, and I’d love to know what you think! Does setting monthly goals work for you? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Thank you for this very insightful article 😊👍💕
You’re so welcome! Thank you for stopping by, Susan! 🙂