One of our Reed family traditions is to set goals at the beginning of each new year. It offers a natural opportunity for reflection, renewal, and fresh beginnings. It’s also the perfect time to sit down for a special meal together and celebrate as we reflect on the past year’s crazy moments, funny events, and successful achievements.
For us, this looked like having breakfast at a local diner that served pancakes bigger than the plate they were served on. During this time, we’d always laugh a lot, remembering the fun, funny, and happy events from the past year. We concluded our traditional breakfast with a time of dreaming about and planning for the coming year.
Tina and I believe that setting goals is important for life. It’s not just about reaching a specific endpoint, but it’s about the journey, too. We believed that guiding our kids in the practice of goal-setting was important, even at an early age.
Setting goals fosters purpose, teaches life skills, lays the foundation for success, builds confidence, promotes a growth mindset, and demonstrates responsibility. In addition, it enhances motivation, nurtures resiliency, and encourages positive relationships…all important stuff.
We’d change up our goal-setting conversation each year, but we would usually discuss one of the below three topics:
1) What is 1 Habit you’d like to Start and 1 Habit you’d like to Stop
2) Pick a Word or a Phrase that you’d like to better live out and be known for
3) Select 1 Goal for each of the Following Areas of your Life – Intellectual, Physical, Spiritual, Relational (see my short post from last year, Helping Your Kids Have Their Best Year Ever)
Helping your kids set goals is a gift that keeps on giving. It equips and empowers them to succeed in life as they reach for the stars and turn their dreams into reality.
Here’s a little 1-page resource we just put together for you to download: “SMART Goal Setting Form”
I just prayed a blessing over everyone who reads this. Happy New Year!
