Resolutions and Goal Scoring

Happy new year to you all. I wish you a blessed year of 2012. I spent 5 hours in the kitchen yesterday, but I did not complain cos i was prepared for it. At the end of the day, it was a good day.

2011 was a good year for me. I don’t do New Year resolutions. I wrote a post on New Year resolutions last year January about why New Year resolutions fail most times. I think it is quite insightful and you can read it here. What I do is to set realistic and measurable goals and score myself later. So, after doing my stock taken based on the annual goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year, I scored 38.6%. Yeah, I know it is low, but at least, it is better than last year’s 36%. The irony is that the more I achieved in life, the less I scored.

Funny enough, I don’t think the reason was that I set goals that were too high to attain. I think one of the reasons was that I focused so well on achieving one part (e.g career and finance) and neglected so many others and at the year, it affects the average, because the goals I usually set encompasses so many parts of life.

Other times, I set goals that are beyond my control. An example can be ‘To go to India.’ What if I am denied Indian Visa? You see, I will automatically score 0% that goal there cos even my efforts will not count, as the goal did not put my effort in consideration. So if I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot, I can say ‘To take concrete steps towards travelling to India’. Though, this particular one is more subjective and gives room for laziness. Since I am setting the goal for myself, I’ll rather be strict with myself and set the first one.

One other reason why I scored low was because I wasn’t going back to check the goals monthly, so it was the ones I considered more important, which apparently, stuck in my head more, that I ended up achieving. This also causes one to chase other goals that were not initially set. There is nothing wrong with this, as long as you achieve most of the ones set before. What I have done to combat this is to set monthly goals, feeding into the yearly goals so I achieve as much as possible.


We practice this at work, so I am kinda used to this thing, though I started this before I started working. I feel have started boring you guys. Niways, see some of my scores below


2008 – 48%


2009 - 57.5%


2010 – 36%


2011 – 38.6%


I have looked at the goals for 2012, and I think the scores will be more impressive this time around cos I have changed strategies. I think I also set goals within my control. Let’s see how it goes sha.

I haven’t finished, but the post is getting long. I think I have to continue in another post


18 comments

  1. Happy new beginnings, and more power to you as you achieve all your goals*

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  2. Very well said ....attainable goals are 'IT'..picked one or 2 lessons here that will help in attaining my own goals for the year too..

    Thanks for sharing ...Bless u!

    I also wen back to read your post on new year resolutions and I loved anonymous' comment...so I am posting it here again:

    While I see nothing wrong with someone setting goals to achieve (resolutions) in the new year, I believe a new year is simply the figment of people's imagination and most people use it as an excuse to perpetuate their nefarious excesses, never taking the initiative to work on it & deceiving themselves that change would suddenly occur in the new year.
    If your goals coincide with the new year, fine but if the only time you set goals is on new year's eve and break them on new yr's day...na u sabi.

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  3. I wish you a fab 2012 !
    I like the way you are very analytical about your goals.
    I have to be honest and say I dont really do New Year resolutions.
    Instead, I try to do something outside my comfort zone - personally and professionally)
    Last year was all about pushing myself to Network more (professionally) and focusing more on my immediate family ......and it paid...........

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  4. Happy New Year dear. I like the part about setting realistic and measurable goals and scoring yourself later. That makes a lot of sense.

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  5. Happy New year dear, best of luck with your goals.

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  6. Nothing wrong in setting yourself measurable and achievable goals. If it helps you to navigate your way through life then I can only wish you the best in 2012.

    Even though I'm also not in the business of new year resolutions but if people find it helpful then goodluck to them.

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  7. Hapi Nu Yia Ilola!!!! Thanks for always making time to drop a comment at my spa. I truly loved having you over! I don't do resolutions cos they jink me. The moment I call them by that word, they just have never seemed to get done!

    I am very simplistic about life these days.....there are 4 boxes to my life - memyselfandI, meand God, meandfamily and meandwork. By the end of 2012, I want to feel better about me in all those boxes than I feel right now. How? As I type these words now, not really sure....But I am pretty sure God and I will work it all out somehow.

    One day at a time....eventually become long term.

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  8. Don't worry,you'll score high this year.Happy new year to you!

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  9. you're right about new year resolutions. they're usually so vague and its better to set attainable goals that are time bound either short, medium or long term.

    anyway, here is to achieving all your goals for 2012! Have a great year ahead..

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  10. Happy new year!! I pray we all achieve our goals this year!

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  11. Happy new year!! I pray we all achieve our goals this year!

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  12. @ blogoratti: Thanks. I wish you the same

    @ Dayor: I am glad this was useful to you. The anonymous guy is really a sage, though I know who commented, lol

    @ Naijamum: You were fulfilled, thats all that matters. Thanks

    @ Che: Yes o, it has worked for me

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  13. @ 9JaFOODie: I wish you the same. Thanks

    @ Naija4Life: Thanks o, you have a point. Do what works for you, abi.

    @ DesperateNaijaWomean: Aww, thanks for dropping by my blog. Your 4 box method is a new one. You are sure creative. I am sure you will be fine in the end

    @ Nikkisho: I wish you the same

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  14. @ 9ja Great: Amen o. I wish you the same

    @ stelzz: *clicks glass. Thanks. I wish you a great year too.

    @ mstizzle: Amen, I wish you the same

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  15. I am absolutely a fan of setting realistic goals; measurable and attainable! I like the example of 'going to India' you gave... While for some, that could be realizable, its good to know how limits and our affordances.

    Happy New Year Missy :)

    - LDP

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  16. I changed strategies as well so i'm hopeful. Good luck with yours kay?

    And you are courageous oh - actually seeing how you did over the years. I dunno if i can do that, but its always good to measure *sure*

    Adiya
    Muse Origins

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  17. happi nu yr..and i du ope u acheived more this year.

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