Anxiety is a fear of the unknown. It can be paralysing to think about what your future holds, and anxiety can also hold you back from setting your goals. We want you to think differently about 2022. There are tactics to address the "fear and/or anxiety" many feel when heading into a new year. These 4 tips may open your eyes and bring about action that propels you forward in a different and innovative way.
Goal Setting For The New Year
Most of us view the new year as a new start and that means new goals. Athletes set goals. Entrepreneurs set goals. Teachers set goals. We all tend to organise our minds and our lives by either writing down those goals in a journal or by sharing with friends or family. Goals jump start the year - or do they? Is there a better way for you to set goals in this stressful and fast paced environment we all live in? Can you truly set healthy goals without addressing the fears and anxiety in your life?
Addressing Your Fears
Instead of writing down your 2022 goals, what if you were to break down your fears into manageable pieces so you aren't overwhelmed? What if you realised it was healthy to address your anxiety and write down the outcomes of those issues? Would your goals change?
Let us, for example, discuss the fear of finding a new job. Maybe you are in a job that you just don't care for or you have a boss who needs to have their head examined. You just need a change. Your goal is to get a new job! But you are afraid of the change it will bring, even though you are miserable where you are at. Instead of writing down the goal - I need a new job or I need an interview with this or that company - try this.
- Define your fears (In this case it may be changing jobs, maybe you won't like your new boss, maybe you won’t be able to work from home…)
- Write down what could go wrong if you did change jobs? What can go wrong in the first interview? (You may want to change jobs again, it's not what you envisioned. Maybe your new boss is worse than the last one, maybe you are afraid you will "bomb” the interview… )
- What do you gain by the change? (You have finally made a decision to improve the position you are in, your salary may be higher, you may learn and grow surrounded by new people….)
- Ask yourself, what is the outcome if you take no action? Emotionally, Physically and Financially? (You are stuck with a boss who you do not agree or get along with, you know your salary will not go up for at least a year, you dread everyday going into the office…) And how will you feel in a year? (probably just as miserable...)
Goal Setting Steps
Remember, fear is more of a response to the unknown, whereas anxiety is fear of something that has already happened or fear of making decisions. What if you addressed both fear and anxiety before goal setting?
Tim Ferris, a best-selling author and popular podcaster, tries to do what he calls fear setting every quarter or at least once a month. He says "Fear-setting has produced my biggest business and personal successes, as well as repeatedly helped me to avoid catastrophic mistakes."
Tim goes on to say, “ For years, I set goals, made resolutions to change direction, and nothing came of either. I was just as insecure and scared as the rest of the world.”
So what did Tim Ferris do to change his trajectory? Watch and listen to his video. We highly recommend this Ted Talk before thinking about setting your 2022 goals. Ten million people have watched "Why you should define your fears instead of your goals."
We then challenge you to tackle the new year in a different way. Goal setting is about identifying what you want to accomplish in the short term, mid term and long term. Don't let fear or anxiety hold you back. After watching the video and before writing your goals, complete the 4 steps above - or follow the Tim Ferris steps on how to take action. Then see what magically happens in the new year!
