Ah 2011. Another bright and shining new year to start over, mentally leave all the 2010 baggage behind and dream of the future. One sure way to make that dream come true is to break it down into goals for the year.

Think about where you want to be on December 31, 2011. Got that dream job in your mind? Okay, now think about the goals needed to achieve that dream. Maybe it is just one small goal per month helping to correct some weakness your boss highlighted in your annual review or maybe you finally want to sign up for that course that you know you need to obtain that promotion.

You already know what you have to do, you simply need to write it down and think about the steps you need to take to get there. Write out all the steps and then organize them into monthly goals. Type out the list and put it somewhere you can see every day. Make a notation in your calendar to read and review each goal at the end of each month. Ask yourself the hard questions, did I achieve this, if not, why and what can I do to make sure it is achieved next month along with my next goal.

Last year was the first year that I really sat down and wrote out professional goals for myself and I have to say it really worked. It helped me to stay focussed on what I felt was important and reminded me to stay committed even in the face of adversity. I didn’t change the world, but I think I helped to change some attitudes and pushed much harder in some areas than I would have in the past.

So, I’m off to write up my goals for 2011. I hope you’ll do the same. If you have a process you go through at the beginning of the year to set and help reach your goals, share it by leaving a comment. I’d love to hear from you!