How to Do an End of the Year Goal Assessment

A new year and new decade are about to begin. Are you ready? If not, you want to read this post. Beth Bauer (@JourneyofBethB), freelance writer, travel blogger, yoga instructor, and entrepreneur, offers a simple-but-powerful process for goal assessment. Learn how to review the last year and set blogging goals for the next 12 months.

The New Year, 2020, is almost here! As futuristic as it once sounded, it’s just around the corner. And a new year is always the perfect time to set new goals for your blogging or publishing career.

While you might be eager to start making New Year’s resolutions for 2020, first, do an honest assessment of how well you met your blogging goals this past year. Have you accomplished everything you set out to do in 2019?

Now, in the last week before ringing in 2020 is the perfect time to assess your results, good or bad, so you can set next year up for even more success.

If you aren’t sure how to do an end-of-year goal assessment, let me give you a few tips.

Get Out Your List

Do you remember those resolutions and business goals you set at the start of the year? Find that list now. (Commence with the scramble and digging through papers or files on your computer). Hopefully, you didn’t stash it and forget it. If you did, make a commitment to keep it handy for next year so you can do a better job of achieving your goals.

Didn’t Make a List?

Maybe you didn’t set any goals for 2019, or perhaps you can’t find your list. It’s okay. You can start this year. Read on so you’ll be prepared to do an end of the year assessment for 2020.

For those of you that did set goals, skip ahead to “Analyze Your Results.” Come back to this section AFTER you do a 2019 evaluation.

Try to Set SMART Goals

To set SMART goals for next year, use these guidelines:

S is for specific. Ask yourself about the “who, what, where, when, and why” for each of your goals.

M is for measurable. How will you determine if you’ve fulfilled the goal? Have a quantifiable outcome and write it down.

A is for attainable. Make sure it’s a realistic goal, something you can actually achieve.

R is for relevant. Do your goals fit in with your lifestyle and business plan? Do they fit in with your blogging niche or aspirations as an author?

T is for timely. For example, if you have a goal of writing a book but have no deadline attached to your goal, the project will have no momentum. Make it time-sensitive. Pick a deadline, write it down, and then stick to it.

Find a Goal Setting Tool That Works for You

There are tons of goal setting tools available. From journals to guides or apps, they range from free to expensive. The important thing is that you select one that will work for you.

If you’re looking for good goal setting software, try GoalEnforcer. It’s a visual goal planning software that helps you plan, get focused, and accomplish your goals faster. You can easily set and rearrange a goal achievement plan by dragging and dropping virtual objects where they belong. It includes color coding, status reports, and charting features for goal tracking.

Analyze Your Results

If you did an excellent job of setting up SMART goals for 2019, it should be relatively easy to look at the correlating data to analyze your results. For example, if you set the goal of increasing affiliate revenues by 20 percent, you can look at your profit and loss statements to see how much more you brought in over the previous year.

Hopefully, you at least made a little progress toward your goals. If you didn’t, accept that fact and forgive yourself. Make a personal commitment to do better this year.

Also, take a careful look at why you did or didn’t achieve your goals. If, for example, you were sick during a large part of the year, don’t be too hard on yourself. Use your why or why not data to tweak your 2020 blogging and publishing strategy.

Have a Long-Term Vision

As you set your goals for next year, keep both your 12-month plan as well as your longer-term vision in mind. While it’s natural to focus on the immediate, like growing your audience, getting next month’s blog posts written, or increasing marketing revenue, also keep your long-term vision in mind. Try to avoid short term gains at the expense of your future. For example, that quick affiliate buck may be tempting, but if you’ll lose credibility and respect, it’s not worth it.

Having goals is what keeps you moving forward as a blogger, author, and entrepreneur. Make sure you’re continually working toward bigger and better results in your blogging business. Remember that the difference between goals and dreams is action. A goal without action is simply a wish.

Do you have a New Year planning process for your blogging career? Tell me in a comment below. And share this post with a friend!

About the Author

Beth Bauer is a freelance writer, travel blogger, yoga instructor, and entrepreneur currently working on her third novel. She has traveled to over 20 countries in just the last two years and enjoys life as a digital nomad. She is originally from the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.A., and when she’s home lives on the Long Beach Peninsula with her dog, Ozzie.

Photo courtesy of Muhammad Ribkhan