2013 is here. It’s common for people to start new years with new resolutions and goals. At the end of each year we achieve some goals and fail to achieve some others. To increase our chances to achieve goals, it is important how we set the goals.

For example, lets take one of the most common goals we set every year – to be more healthy and fit. The obvious question, of course, is how to track this goal through the year, and how to know it is achieved. The goal, on it’s own is qualitative and not measurable. If there’s no way to track a goal, then setting it is setting up for failure.

So instead of the goal being “getting healthy”,  one ought to have goals that are more specific and measurable. For example a goal could be – go to the gym 4 times a week. This goal is very specific and measurable. There’s a much higher chance of achieving ” go to the gym 4 times a week” than “getting healthy”, since the first goal is easily trackable while the second is not. The best part if you do consistently go to gym, you’ll start to watch what you eat, and you’ll end up being both more healthy and fit! Nice side effect, huh!

Last year, I set myself the goal to improve my relationships with the people I knew. I’m not sure I’m disappointed a the moment, because I’m not sure whether I even reached that goal or not. This goal “improve my relationships” is as ambiguous to the “getting healthy” goal. This year, instead of setting my goal to just generally strengthen my relationships, I’m going to set my goal as “everyday, I’m going to contact 5 different contacts whom I have not contacted for a while, and respond back to any message I receive within 2 days”.

I’m excited about my goal this year. I think by setting it as my goal and Zolodeck to help me, I’ve given myself a very good chance to achieve it this year.

If your goal this year is to strengthen your network, sit down and make it specific and measurable. And check out Zolodeck! Happy 2013!