At the end of every year just about every one is thinking about what the new year will bring. We put a lot of emphasize on our goals or new years resolutions and not much thought or reflection on the past year. At this time of year it is best to do both, reflect and see how we can improve then add goals! 2011 was an exciting year for GroceryAlerts.ca. We managed to turn our passions of saving money on groceries into a business as well as launching the new website BabyAlerts.ca that helps Canadian moms find the best diaper deals and formula deals.

I was able to achive this by a list of yearly, monthly, and daily tasks that kept me on track. I work best with a list of tasks. I have a list for everything in life even the day to day household cleaning. These lists remind me of what needs to be done and let’s me sleep at night. As each task is finished I strike it off the list.

Each month starting January 2012 make a monthly goals list. As each goal is achieved strike that goal off the list. Starting small will hopefully keep you on your toes and tuned into what you are passionate about which will ultimately bring you happiness.

Here are a 5 powerful questions to help narrow down goals before writing them out:

1.  Are there any changes you can make that is weighing down happiness? These are small problems or habits we have that can be altered or changed to improve our lifestyle.

2.  What makes me happy? Ultimately you need to know what makes you jump out of bed every morning. What are your priorities and what is important to you. Aim to know what makes you happy, that way you will know what you want in life.

3.  What are the steps needed to achieve the goals? Just like babies start walking by taking baby steps we too need to start taking baby steps to reach our final goals. Starting small will ensure you stick with your ultimate goal.

4. What are concrete actions that will measure your success? Be as specific and detailed as possible. Just saying I want loose weight isn’t going make you loose pounds, you need a strategy.

5.  When do you plan on achieving your goals? Goals can be yearly, monthly, even daily however having an exact date or knowing when you plan on achieving your goals is extremely important to keeping you on track.

I would  love to hear about your goals and the successes you have! Share your new years resolutions, progress and goals in the comments. Let’s all keep each other accountable!