2020 resolutions
My 2020 Resolutions: How I Made Them & How I’ll Keep Them
I’ve never been great at New Year’s resolutions and, because I don’t like failure, I have traditionally not made any real ones. Instead, I’ve stuck with coming up with goals or feelings or things that I’ll generally (i.e. vague AF) do differently in the new year. For example, last year I proposed I’d be more “calm” and the year before that I’m pretty sure I said I’d “run more.” Totally vague and useless. That approach is wonderful if the goal is to not fail, but pretty terrible if your goal is to make real change in your habits and lifestyle.
This year I’m approaching things differently. I’m creating real goals, but also making sure that I set myself up for success. Over the last two years I’ve learned a lot about goal setting from my favorite accountability group, Do The Damn Thing, and am using some of those tried and true methods in my resolutions.
FYI: I think it’s bullshit to wait until the new year to make these types of goals. Annual goals are nice because it feels good to have a clear set of time, but it is more than okay to start these goals on January 6, or March 15, or July 30 or any day of the year. Another fun idea is to pick annual goals that are timebound by your birthday as that is the start of your very own new year.
Step 1: Brainstorm Goals (5-10 minutes)
This is the most fun part for me. I write down all sorts of things I’d like to do, see, be and experience in the year ahead. I recommend starting with goals from different parts of your life (financial, emotional, physical, work, personal) so you cast a really nice, wide net.
Step 2: Cull the Goals (5 minutes)
Cut the fat. Which goals do you want to achieve badly enough to work on them for the whole year? All of those “well, it’d be nice if…” kind of things don’t make the cut. For example, I originally had run another marathon on my list, but I know I’ll only want to do that if more of my health concerns are figured out. A goal that hinges on the success of another goal isn’t worth having (yet). However, I do believe that every one of us should have at least one money goal each year.
My 2020 Goals:
Launch my podcast!
Determine appropriate strategies to deal with current health concerns (this may or may not include medicines, food, exercise and mindfulness)
Build savings account for future babies!! (get ready for Verdi Jr!)
Step 3: Create an Action Plan (20 minutes)
For each of the goals, create a plan for how you’re going to achieve them by the end of the year. All plans should include strategies, support & markers of success. Please note that my second goal is actually about figuring things out and not about a specific outcome -- that means that I’ll likely continue to work on my health strategies in the years to come, whereas I’ll only launch the podcast once.
My 2020 Action Plan:
Launch the Financial Feminists Podcast
Strategies: 1) Finalize strategy with producer 2) Schedule guests 3) Create outlines 4) Record 5) Launch!
Support: 1) Work with podcast producer who I found in 2019 2) Join future DTDT group to help me through some of the questions that I know will come up
Success: Season 1 is live with a plan for Season 2 (Season 2 also potentially live depending on timing)
Determine appropriate strategies to deal with current health concerns (this may or may not include medicines, food, exercise and mindfulness)
Strategies: 1) Go to new PCP (new insurance started Jan 1!!) 2) Finish tests recommended by old doctor 3) Elimination Diet to determine food best practices 4) Continue meditation practice & add in phone reminders to improve consistency 5) Be open to learning from others
Support: Doctors (PCP & specialists), husband & friends
Success: I don’t expect to be cured (the current theory is that I have some sort of autoimmune disease), but I do expect to have better knowledge and strategies that I can use to improve my symptoms. If I have a significantly better understanding of my body, I will feel successful.
Build savings account for future baby
Strategies: Save a minimum of $500/month by increasing household income & decreasing spending on food that doesn’t excite or serve us (i.e. postmating because we forgot to plan ahead, buying lunch out instead of bringing lunch to work)
Support: Husband! We’re on the same page for this goal and will make sure that our progress and challenges are part of our regular money date conversations
Success: Right now I’m estimating that I’ll want $10,000 saved by the time I give birth.This will cover some early one-time costs like furniture and a stroller as well as more on-going costs like a nanny. I’m open to that number changing -- either up or down -- as I learn more and my husband and I make more decisions on what we want early life for a baby to look like.
Step 4: Add in Exit Ramps (10 minutes)
Sometimes the goals we feel really passionate about at one point in our lives become less important later. This could be because our circumstances have changed (i.e. goal is to run a marathon, but then you broke your foot ← that’s happened to me) or because your feelings towards the goal has changed (i.e. goal is to go Keto, but it turns out your body really doesn’t respond well to that diet). That’s why we need exit ramps. Exit ramps aren’t failures -- they are opportunities for us to recognize when something isn’t serving us anymore and times when we can pivot to something that serves us better.
Here’s mine:
Launch my podcast
Exit Ramp: if my support falls through I will work my hardest to find an alternative option, but as I am unable to complete this goal without outside help, I will accept that the podcast may not launch in 2020.
Determine appropriate strategies to deal with current health concerns (this may or may not include medicines, food, exercise and mindfulness)
Exit Ramp(s): 1) My health dramatically improves without making changes (I doubt this, but it’d be fun) 2) I get pregnant and that changes what I need to focus on health-wise
Build savings account for future baby
Exit Ramp: I already covered this in my action plan, but I am open to my goal amount changing depending on future knowledge I gain.
Not sure you have the support or knowledge you need to reach your money goals this year? I offer two great coaching options: The Verdi Money Club (online group coaching) and Personalized Coaching (on-on-one online coaching).