How to Set Personal and Business Goals for 2023

Setting goals is an important part of both our personal and professional lives. It helps us stay focused, organized, and motivated. With the start of a new year, it’s a great time to set our sights on the year ahead and create meaningful goals for 2023.

Here are 6 tips on how to set personal and business goals for the new year.

1. Start with the Big Picture: Think about what you want to accomplish this year or in future years. Consider both short-term and long-term goals. This could include financial, professional, and personal objectives.

2. Break Goals Down into Manageable Pieces: Once you have identified your goals, break them down into smaller, more achievable steps. This will help you create a timeline and track your progress.

3. Prioritize Your Goals: You can’t do everything at once. Prioritize your goals and focus on one or two that are the most important to you.

4. Set Milestones: Along the way, create milestones that will help you track progress. Celebrate your successes and adjust your plan as needed.

5. Make a Plan: Write down your goals and create a plan of action. This may include tasks and deadlines.

6. Get Support: Don’t forget to ask for help. Reach out to friends, family, and colleagues for support and feedback. Setting goals can be an empowering experience.

Now I’ll cover how to make these goals easier to outline with S.M.A.R.T. goals and examples of personal and professional goals.

S.M.A.R.T Goals

To help with the above tips, especially tips two through five, it’s important to make your goals S.M.A.R.T. For example, if your goal is one day to become CEO of your company, that is a big-picture goal. You need to follow the S.M.A.R.T. goals outline to help narrow it down, find clarity, and set reasonable milestones.

• S – Specific

• M – Measurable

• A – Attainable

• R – Relevant

• T – Time-bound

With the CEO example, I want to become CEO at [organization] by 2030. Then set milestones along the way; getting promoted to the next level, taking career advancement classes, meeting with higher-ups to express interest, etc. 

Personal Goals

Examples of personal goals to consider:

• Pay off student loans by 2028

• Buy a home by the time I am 30

• Travel to Europe in 2023

Business Goals

Examples of business goals to consider:

• Take five new courses to become a better leader in your field of work

• Starting your own business and launching by 2025

• Get promoted and a raise in 2023 by meeting your boss’s expectations

We can deliberate about what we want to achieve in the coming year and plan how to get there. Setting clear, specific goals allows you to track and take pride in their accomplishment, and you’ll notice progress in what may have previously seemed like a never-ending, pointless task. We can make 2023 our best year yet with clear and achievable goals.