Content Creation 101: how to set your goals for 2023 in 6 steps

Hi everyone, and welcome to the first post of Content Creation 101 of 2023! The new year is roaring, and we're ready to set new goals for our content creation journey. Today, I want to share with you how to set goals for 2023, a method I perfectioned over the years after many attempts and frustration. 

I used to get demotivated and frustrated with my goals and my inability to reach them, so I had to try different methods and find what worked best for me. I hope to help you with all these tips because January can put significant pressure on us. 

Step 1: Review the past year.

The first step to setting your goals for 2023 is reviewing 2022. Try to make a recap of what you loved, what you would have changed, and how you felt during your highs and lows. Be honest and specific with yourself. For example, if the past year was intense, I often divided it into categories. Then, I went through them: work, love life, relationships, and personal interests. Another great help is my vision board! I go through each section of the vision board to see if something worked, how I feel about it, and if I want to achieve it in the next year. For example, I had a travel section on my vision board last year because I wanted to see new places with my favorite people. At the end of 2022, I realized I had traveled a lot: Barcellona, Vienna, Trentino, Marche, Paris, and so on. I was so excited to achieve this goal and felt like the happiest person in the world. So, traveling is a thing I want to bring in 2023 too. 

Step 2: Review how you grew and what you want

For me, this is the hardest step in the whole process. Everyone changes in twelve months, so reviewing how much you have grown and what new you want for the upcoming year is crucial. 

2022 was my year of change. I am a new person with different priorities and goals than at the beginning of 2022. Nevertheless, I achieved most of the plans I put into the vision board for 2022. This accomplishment gave me self-awareness and confidence to embrace my new priorities and desires. 

It's normal if you want to change the path you used to take or if your priorities change. You constantly evolve, so embrace it and make the most of it! 

Step 3: Write down your goals

Now, it's time to write down your goals. Make different categories, like work, personal life, love life, home, and finances. Then, for each one, write down your goals. This is the crucial part of the method that works for me. 

Using the present tense, I write down the goals like I've already achieved them. Then, for some categories, I write measurable goals. For example, the number of unique visitors I want to reach for martinamanca.com is part of my 2023 goals, and I wrote a specific number. 

I don't use measurable goals for other categories because it's too complicated for my brain. For example, I wrote goals without measures in the Relationship category because how can you measure the effort in a relationship? 

Anyway, write down your 2023 goals in a way that inspires your brain and heart because you'll go to read them multiple times during the year. You want to read them anytime and feel inspired, recharged, and ready to go for your dreams! 

Step 4: Read your goals 

Now that your stream of consciousness has come out, it's time to read them. You can do it out loud or privately, but go through them. This step is essential because you're doing a test to see if what you wrote speaks to your heart and brain and if you feel inspired and pumped. Take your time for each one. If there's something you need clarification on, try to write it differently or delete it. 

At the end of this step, you'll have your set of goals for 2023. Be prepared to review this list a second time or change it during the year because you're evolving as you work to reach your goals! 

Step 5: Make your set of goals visible.

Finally, we arrived at the fun step. Your goals are ready, but you want to make them visible anytime. I love vision boards because I use them as my screensaver to have them under my eyes every time. But I save my list too to go through it and see the details of my vision board. 

You can also make mindmaps if they inspire you more. Find a way to make your goals visible during the day; that's all that matters. 

Step 6: If you feel overwhelmed, break down your goals into smaller steps

This is the step that changed my life. Once I wrote down my goals, I felt so overwhelmed that I gave up instantly. But if I take smaller steps for each plan, I feel empowered and inspired to keep working on the bigger picture. For example, right after my 2023 vision board, I wrote down my January goals and weekly purposes. I can look at my vision board for the bigger picture, my monthly plans to focus on, and weekly objectives for immediate action. 

I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to chat about your goal-setting with me because I'd love to help you! 

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