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Be your own life coach


Set yourself up for success for the year ahead and beyond by taking time out to ask yourself these questions, and allowing space to dream.

How fortunate are we to be living in Aotearoa. In a position to sit and contemplate goal-setting and designing a lifestyle that speaks to our life vision and core values.

Before we start thinking about our 2023 vision and goal-setting, let’s reflect on the year that was. Take a moment to look back over 2020, 2021 & 2022, years that no one expected, and write down your thoughts.

  • What did you learn about yourself?
  • What are you grateful for?
  • What do you want to change?
  • What helped you to navigate a period of uncertainty?
  • How did you grow?
  • What are you letting go of?
  • What are you forgiving?
  • What do you want to bring forward into 2022/23?

Looking forward

Winter is already upon us and with all that comes with the festive season we sometimes don’t get a moment to reflect, design and set goals during the summer holiday season.

Taking a moment now to stop and set goals to help determine the direction you are heading in this year will guide you to end up at a destination that you set sail to rather than waking up just anywhere.

If you’re a traveller and booking a holiday, you’ll understand prior to booking flights and travel there is a plan. Very rarely have I got on a plane without a destination that I have chosen. The same applies to designing your vision and lifestyle.

With that in mind here are a few simple steps to take charge and set some goals that reflect what you want to have, who you want to be and what you want to do with your life.

  1. Draw a diagram that reflects you with headings that describe the areas of your life, for example, health and fitness; family and friends; intimate relationships; career or business; finances; mental wellbeing; learning; self-development, hobbies and toys; community and environment.

  2. Within each area list as many goals as you want.

  3. Next to each goal write if it is short-, medium- or long-term. How many are in each term? Spread out evenly over the time frames or lots in one term?

  4. Select top goals in each area and term.

  5. Apply SMART rules to the top goals – they should be specific; measurable; achievable; realistic; time-based.

  6. Apply SPECIFY rules to the top goals. This is an additional tool to SMART about checking that your goals are written in a way that empowers you.
    1. Sensory specific (what do you see/ hear/feel when you have this outcome?)
    2. Positive language (what you want, not what you don’t want)
    3. Ecological (what will change?)
    4. Choice increases (what is added with this goal?)
    5. Initiate yourself (what will you do differently?)
    6. First step today?
    7. Your resources (coach/time/money?)

  7. What is your lifestyle vision? In your ideal world, how many hours would you work? Analyse your income, time off and exercise in the same way. At the core of your goals is your vision.

  8. What are your core values? For example, is it freedom, integrity, trust, love…

  9. Do your goals compete or align with your values? If you find yourself out of alignment with your core values then your motivation to achieve the goal will be challenged or compromised, therefore demotivating and having the opposite impact of your intention. For example if you value family but your goal requires you to work longer hours then that will be taking you away from your family values.

  10. What is your ‘why’ – your purpose to drive you to achieve your goals?

  11. Gaining clarity on all of the above guides you to stay focused and move forward to create the lifestyle you want to have. This is a living document and evolves as you do. As you move towards achieving each goal, monitoring and observing the changes within you, it is only natural that the vision expands organically as you do. The person writing these goals today is a different person once they’ve achieved them.

  12. Monitor your progress on a regular basis. This gives you the opportunity to make changes required to work with the unforeseen, e.g. changing the time frame.

  13. Unsure of what you want? Write in a child-like state, meditate, talk with friends, remember what you love or have been curious about, ideas. What inspires you? Writing freely brings to the fore what has been in the back of your mind. Discover yourself. Keep your goals in your journal, on your device or on your wall and check in and monitor your progress regularly. Pick up the oar and row your own waka in life. Take ownership of your goals, be accountable and be responsible to monitor and achieve them.

Creating your life vision, aligning your values and taking action to achieve your goals is fuelled by your why. Live consciously and choose powerfully.

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