If You're Thinking of Giving Up on Your 2024 Goals, Read This.
How to quickly reassess and get your goals on track to finish out a strong 2024.
We're in that tricky part of the year. For those in the global north, the seasons are shifting from summer to fall. There's a noticeable energy shift as we transition from the slow pace of summer to the bustling "back-to-school" season. In the U.S., we're rounding the corner past Labor Day, bringing a refresh in the work sphere too. Hopefully, you’re returning revitalized after vacations and holidays.
This burst of energy collides with performance reviews for some, the start of ‘strategic planning season’ for organizations, and perhaps a personal or professional goal check-in. Whether you're an individual contributor or an organizational leader, now is an excellent time to assess your goals, strategize for a strong finish to 2024, and start looking ahead to 2025 (and beyond).
For many, 2024 might feel like a year of lurching forward: long stretches of stagnation followed by small bursts of movement. In such an uncertain environment, it can be hard to maintain enthusiasm, and despite your best efforts, your plans for 2024 might not be on track.
If you have goals you haven’t even started, ones that have fallen off track, or others that you’re excelling at and want to push further, read on.
How Indoor Rowing Changed My Approach to Achieving Goals
Two years ago, around this time, I had just celebrated my one-year mark of learning indoor rowing at a unique local studio in Austin (Rō Fitness, worth checking out if you’re local). I was also seven months into what felt like an extraordinary goal: completing one million meters within the calendar year. It was a daunting challenge, and seven months in, I had only completed about 350,000 meters—just a third of the way to my goal, with less than half the year left.
To make matters worse, I’d been continually sick and had a major three-week trip planned that would keep me away from the studio even longer. By the end of September, after returning from my trip (hello, New Zealand!), I had only 400,000 meters logged and 600,000 meters still to go.
I seriously considered letting this be a goal I didn’t meet.
With 13 weeks left in the year, I would need to complete 200,000 meters each month—four times my current pace. It seemed nearly impossible, especially since I’d struggled to reach 100,000 meters in a single month before. But I decided to give it a shot.
Focus on the Process, Not the Outcome
Instead of fixating on the daunting number of meters, I focused on planning my week. Averaging 5,000 meters per class, I needed to double up and attend two classes a day, four days a week, with a single class on another day. This would total 9-10 hours of rowing each week—a scary, but not impossible, commitment. I also made sure to schedule one rest day per week.
I gave myself an out: if I hated the schedule after the first week, I could quit. I completed week one, but gave myself a second out: I’d reassess after the first month. But after that first week, I stuck with it, and by the end of the year—even with another bout of illness—I completed the one million meters in the last class on the last day of the year.
How This Relates to Business Goals
Set Ambitious Goals: Aim for something that feels a little scary.
Track Progress by Actions, Not Outcomes:
My goal became simple: show up to class as planned.
When reviewing your 2024 goals, consider redefining them by counting the actions that lead to your desired outcomes.
For instance, if you aim to close a certain number of deals by year-end, calculate how many client interactions you need to achieve that. In a sluggish year like 2024, you might need to double your outreach, but a quick calculation can help you see where to focus your efforts.
Plan and Commit:
I scheduled my classes and stuck to them—no decisions, just execution.
If, as in our example, your goal involves client outreach, determine the number of contacts you need to make daily, set up your list, and execute on it.
What actions do you need to take to reach your goals? Schedule them and follow through.
Create Rituals and Support Them with Resources:
Rowing became a ritual, and I built my schedule around it. I made sure everything was in place to support my goal, from clean workout clothes to planned rest days.
Similarly, sticking with our client outreach example, if your goal requires supporting activities such as content development, schedule time for research and creation. Align your outreach with relevant events or activities remaining in the year for added value.
What are the resources and behaviors that will support and enable your goal?
Share Your Goal with Supporters:
I shared my goal with encouraging people who kept me motivated. Their support helped me push through.
Avoid those who aren’t supportive—your "crazy makers." Focus on your goal during this time.
Who do you know that can help support you in your efforts?
We often think that pursuing a goal should be a steady, incremental process. But setbacks are inevitable, especially when you're doing something new. If you feel behind, assess what you can reasonably accomplish in the remaining weeks of the year. How many "classes" do you need to attend each week?
In the end, you might surprise yourself. I learned that not only could I row one million meters in a year, but I could also complete 600,000 of those meters in just three months. And that was even more rewarding.
Cheers to your success,
Jennifer