Does the beginning of the new year bring you so much joy because you can start fresh, but also anxiety as to how and what to change to actually reach your goals? I know for some people the new year is a time to set new intentions and create the infamous New Year’s resolutions. And, maybe that works for you. If it does and you stick to your resolution for more than a few weeks into 2023, then you have something that already works for you. But if you are like most of us, you need to write down your goals and work towards making them SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). One couple on our team has their own way of setting goals that has worked for them for years that we wanted to share with you. Maybe this method can help you stick to your goals this year and actualize them.

Reid Trego and his wife Christy set goals each year around what they call the 5 F’s. These are Faith, Family, Fitness, Finances, and Fun. They have been doing this for years with their 2 children by taking them to the Melting Pot or Tuscany Grill in Woodstock to set their annual goals together. Reid said after years of doing this he would probably rephrase the question he asks his family, “If we met back here one year from today, what would have to happen for you to be happy with the past 12 months in the areas of faith, family, fitness, finance, and fun?”

Now that their two kids are older and have moved out of the house, Reid and Christy take a couple of days away each year between Christmas and New Year’s to ask themselves the same question. This past year they went to Greenville, South Carolina for a couple of nights. The conversations are different now without their children involved, but Reid shared, “We still talk about the personal 5 F’s, but when it comes to family we talk about how we can stay connected with our parents and our adult children and still be present their lives, and when it comes to fun, we choose the places we want to go and the friends we want to go with. The annual plan is great to have but we’ve also learned the importance of checking in throughout the year.”

Weekly Check-ins

When their kids were little they would meet every Sunday night as a family and call it “Sundae Sunday” complete with ice cream to lure them in. You can make this part of one of your weekly family meal conversations as well, but having dessert is always a sure way to get kids more involved. Now, Reid and Christy meet on Thursday at 5 PM, right before they go out for trivia night. Do whatever works for you, but having both year-end goals to work toward along with weekly check-ins along the way is a sure way to ensure you reach and even exceed your goals. Plus, the weekly check-ins allow you to assess how your goals are progressing and give you opportunities to modify or change them along the way to adjust for unexpected events or circumstances.

Celebrate your goals

Decide in advance a way to celebrate when you check off one of your goals during the year. Some fun goals such as travel might be a reward in itself, but meeting your faith, financial, fitness, fun, and family goals definitely deserves to be celebrated. How are you going to reward yourselves for meeting your goals?

Here is a fun goal worksheet to fill out at the beginning of the year to reflect on the previous year and start to get your juices flowing as you brainstorm and set goals for 2023.