Successfully Setting Goals in 2023

Right after Christmas, I begin to anticipate the fresh start ushered in by a new year. For years, I’ve been a goal-setter and this season provides the fertile soil for my mind to dream of what’s next. 

While many people set new year’s resolutions, for me, I have found that to be an exercise in futility. It has only resulted in feelings of failure and frustration. After doing a little research, I wasn’t surprised to learn that I’m not the only one who struggles to make good on their new year’s promises. It can generally be agreed upon that less than 10% of people who begin the new year with a resolution actually follow through for the entirety of the year.

So instead of resolving to do something I most likely won’t achieve, I have found purposeful goal-setting to be the catalyst for encouraging change and increasing productivity. One exercise that has proved fruitful has been creating a vision board. Now, I am not referring to something mystical or magical. Rather, it is an incredibly practical tool, especially for anyone who enjoys adding creativity and fun to the goal-setting process. 

Six years ago, I went through a gut-wrenching painful season. For me, 2017, began not with a bang but more like a bomb. I lost nearly everything in my life. That January I cried out to the Lord asking Him to give me some direction for the upcoming year. Around that time, I also began to journal my prayers, hopes, and dreams. Rather than referring to my journal every morning, I got an idea to create a visual picture that would serve as a continual reminder of the desires and purposes that filled my heart. Since it has proved to be life-changing for me, I would like to share my process in the hope that it may prove helpful for someone else.

Before I begin to dream, think, or imagine how the upcoming year could unfold, I start with prayer. I ask the Lord to help me not lean on my own understanding but instead to give me the wisdom to follow the straight paths He has set for me (Proverbs 3:5,6). After I have prayed and spent time in the Word, I write down the dreams and goals in my heart and on my mind for the upcoming year.

As Christian women, we are called to live in daily surrender to the Lord. This means His ways are above ours. I believe it’s imperative to keep this in mind with any goal-setting process. While I want my life to be purposeful, without God’s guidance any plans I make are frivolous. It is also keeping in mind that my plans may be just that, mine. Even though I spend time in prayer before setting goals, I also want to be sensitive and obedient to any correction or re-direction the Lord gives throughout the upcoming year.

After prayer, my next step is to think through the goals and break them into actionable steps. For example, getting healthy is a worthy goal, but it’s ambiguous. However, drinking 64 ounces of water a day and walking three times a week, is a specific, realistic goal that can be measured. If I only walk twice one week, that’s okay. If I make it around my neighborhood five times another week, that’s okay too. It’s important to encourage ourselves by dispensing grace. Again, this exercise is about setting yourself up for success. 

Or what about the goal of serving God in the new year? Again, a noble endeavor but very broad and with no actual target. I suggest coming up with something specific. Maybe after spending time in prayer you feel prompted to make and distribute care packages to the homeless in your city. Or perhaps, you have a heart for children in vulnerable situations. That could lead to sponsoring a child or getting involved in an organization that ministers to local foster kids and their families. Even simpler than that, serving God in the new year may involve signing up to volunteer in the church nursery on Sunday mornings. You get the idea. 

So, you may be wondering what exactly is a vision board and how to make one. It’s rather simple. I use the free version of the online website Canva.com to design my board. 

1. I begin with selecting a blank template for desktop wallpaper.
2. Once selected, I add a background that I won’t get tired of looking at a few months into the year.
3. I look over my list of goals and begin to search for images, photos, or graphics that represent them. I love whimsical designs so that’s reflected in the graphics I choose. 

4. Typically, I will also choose a word that will bring inspiration for the new year. I’ve used the words hope, redeemed, new start, and forward in previous years.
5. I add any inspirational words, Bible verses, and images that I’ve selected to the wallpaper template. 
6. Once I drag the items into a format I desire, I save the template, download it, and save it as the wallpaper on my desktop. This way, it is the first thing staring me in the face every time I power on my computer. 

I’ve even gotten intentional with my vacation goals. Rather than think, “I’m going to go somewhere this year”, I have started adding a picture of a specific place. This helps me plan and budget and builds anticipation. It also brightens my outlook on stressful days when I see the visual reminder that the much-needed beach trip is drawing closer.

Now, setting goals gives me something to work towards. This process is not meant to be carved in stone to bring about discouragement. Rather, it’s a useful guide to keep me on the right track both in personal and professional endeavors.

Christian author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” I encourage you to set goals and put them on a vision board in 2023. You may be surprised at how many you achieve. Just remember to take any audacious dreams and break them into bite-sized, actionable steps. Then you will have a satisfied feeling of success. 

Whatever the Lord has placed on your heart to do, you can do it in His strength while simultaneously giving yourself an abundance of grace. I pray that 2023 is a year filled with joy, love, and goals attained.

If you’ve found this helpful, I’d love to hear from you. Connect with me at dawnwallis.com or @itsanewdaydawning on Instagram.

Author Bio:         Dawn Wallis is fueled by a love for God and a love for people. She delights in sunny days, butterflies, bicycles, and anything that brings joy and beauty. As an adult survivor of childhood abuse, Dawn gives glory to Jesus Christ as her Redeemer and Healer. She is amazed at the miraculous way God has turned her ash pile of brokenness into a marvelous display of His beauty and a testimony to His unrivaled faithfulness. Dawn enjoys laughing, reading, writing, public speaking, and spending time with family and friends. She believes attitude is everything and lives each day determined to reflect joy and express positivity and gratitude. Dawn’s purpose is to encourage other women by infusing hope and humor in her writing. Dawn has a B.S. in Business Administration and Leadership from Liberty University. She has served as an inspirational speaker for women’s events for 20 years and delights in helping women discover their identity and worth.