Developing Personal Goals for 2015…………………………are they sustainable?

The New Year marks a year of hope and new beginning for a lot of people. It provides an opportunity for a fresh start. It also comes with a lot of plans filled with uncertainty. This is always challenging when things don’t go the way as planned. This is the time when people start by setting goals and making New Year resolutions. The big question is, today marks the last day of the first month of the year (January). Have you set your goals for the year? If you start the New Year with procrastinations, just getting on in life without a vision, how do we make achievements determined by timelines? What is the driver to make us earn that amount we need to meet our basic needs? It can be referred to as having “dreams with a timeline”. We constantly need to challenge ourselves in order to achieve what we have set out to do. One of the ways we can we accomplish that is to set sustainable goals.

The tips below will help you to set sustainable goals for 2015 to ensure your environmental performance as an individual is improved and your carbon footprint is reduced to ensure you can adopt a sustainable lifestyle. Your goals should be periodically reviewed to ensure they remain sustainable through the year and they are achieved to a considerable level of accomplishment.

v  Publicly stating what you set out to achieve- write it down and share with family and friends so they can remind you and keep you aligned

v  Set goals that provide observable and measurable results- that which can simple answer of yes or no when the question” has the goal been achieved?” is asked

v  Do not try to tick they box or make it a checklist- make it intentions with a target, it is all about continuous improvement

v  Your goals should be able to steer you in the right direction- specific to what you set out to achieve so all activities should be steered in the right direction towards achieving the set goal.

v  Your personal goals should be aligned with close family and friends- having a common vision helps to ensure all are committed and focused on the specific objectives of the goal

v  Reach for goals that will be motivating and inspiring-it should not be just more issues that need to be managed but should have a meaningful impact.

v  Sustainability goals must be integral to all aspect of your life - these goals will help enhance the way you conduct your activities

v  Always make sure the targets are realistic not bogus- there is a need to strike a balance between what can be practically achieved and at the same time setting a benchmark at a level where real improvements will ensue.

v  Setting sustainable goals should not be an expression of hope and desire – do not include goals without there being a clear roadmap as to how they can be achieved in reality.

v  Finally your goals must be innovative – think of ways to solve key environmental or social sustainability issues; this should be factored into the thinking when developing the goals.

Setting goals can be a herculean task and even making them sustainable can be worse but then at the end of the year, it leaves you fulfilled knowing that you have made a positive impact on your environment that is reflected globally. Take that step today and set your sustainable goals, it is not too late……………..pick your pen ………..write that first line.