It is that time of year again.

That magical time of the year where we decide “This is our year”

The year we do things differently. 

The year we make it happen. 

The year we change the world!

Or at the least, this is the year that we finally sit down and finish 2024 planning before it is 2024.

Strategic planning can feel daunting. 

Especially when you add the weight of a new year into the mix. 

But it doesn’t have to be.

Here are steps to rock your strategic plan with time to cheers the new year.

Set Goals That Motivate You

When you set goals for yourself, it is important that they motivate you, this means making sure that they are important to you, and that there is value in achieving them. 

If you have little interest in the outcome, or they are irrelevant given the larger picture, then the chances of you putting in the work to make them happen are slim. 

Motivation is key to achieving goals.

Set goals that relate to the high priorities in your life. 

Without this type of focus, you can end up with far too many goals, leaving you too little time to devote to each one. 

Goal achievement requires commitment, so to maximise the likelihood of success, you need to feel a sense of urgency and have an “I must do this” attitude.

When you don’t have this, you risk putting off what you need to do to make the goal a reality. 

This in turn leaves you feeling disappointed and frustrated with yourself, both of which are de-motivating. And you can end up in a very destructive “I can’t do anything or be successful at anything” frame of mind.

Start Now

Perfection is the enemy of progress (Winston Churchill) and waiting until you have the perfect place and time, the perfect budget, insights, team attendance, brain capacity, etc, will ensure that nothing ever happens.

Start now with what you have and figure out what you need to do achieve your goals.

It is ok if you are starting with big-picture goals.

This also helps you begin some concrete objectives and how to plan them.

Creating your outline is a great first step and will help you feel focused and accomplished.

Look Forward

What is it that you want to accomplish? 

What direction are you running in? 

Do you need any additional resources to make your goals realities? 

Plot your path so that you can backwards map to where you are at today.

Look Backward

What have you accomplished this year? 

What worked really well? 

What would you be ok with leaving behind in 2023? 

What did you want to accomplish but realised you need some more support to make it happen? 

Look at your calendar to see where the majority of your time and energy went in 2023. 

Where do you need to make adjustments? 

You can also look at any efforts that you may want to further evaluate now that you have enough space for a retrospective. 

This can help you identify any gaps, and is a great way to celebrate your wins or course-correct if needed.

Make An Action Plan

Even if the plan is finalise – get it onto paper.

Looking at your list of forward map to your future goals today into manageable microsteps with attainable action steps for each one.

Involve your partners or others, etc. in this conversation early so they can support you and that these goals are met.

Set A Date

As your calendar fills up, it becomes more challenging to carve out time for strategic thinking. 

Set a time in your calendar now for quarterly and annual planning.

Start your new year with a win!

Taking some time to pause and plan will dramatically uplevel your game. 

When is the best time to start planning for the new year? 

Ideally, October or NOW!

This gives you a good amount of time to consider while leaving space ready for the new year.

Stick With It And Make It Happen!

Remember, goal setting is an ongoing activity, not just a means to an end. 

Build in reminders to keep yourself on track, and make regular time-slots available to review your goals. 

Your end destination may remain quite similar over the long term, but the action plan you set for yourself along the way can change significantly. 

Make sure the relevance, value, and necessity remain high.

Good luck and make them happen for 2024!