A small "tradition" between me and my best friends is to sit around the New Year's table and think about our resolutions for the upcoming year. It started as a joke at first, as everyone dreamed about what they would like as if they could not come true. But as it turned out, we took it very seriously, and it turned out to be something significant for us.

Every New Year, we all sit together and write on a piece of paper what we would like to achieve this year. Then we discuss them. Why do we want this? What does it mean for us? What are we waiting for to happen? Now, I understand how important it is to have goals.

Some thoughts before you set your goals…

In order to set goals, you must first see what phase of your life you are in. This will help you to set realistic goals. Yes, it is nice to have big dreams, but some do not come true overnight. Thus, our expectations must be based on reality. You can't, for example, build a business or become a billionaire all of a sudden. You can start investing in an idea, and you never know…

Are the goals really yours? Because if they are not yours, you better change your mindset. Pushing yourself to achieve something beyond your limits and your desires will lead you to frustration at some point. I believe that if you do not want to do something, you will not work for it. Even if it succeeds in the beginning, it will not last long. Think about what you really want. Say it out loud. And only then you will fight for it.

Before you set goals, think about whether something is holding you back. What are you scared of saying? Discuss it with someone you trust. The discussion will help you put your thoughts in order. The beginning of the new year is an excellent opportunity to think about what we did wrong, what prevents us from taking further steps. After having discussed with someone what is holding me back, I feel closer to overcoming it.

Do not forget that it does not matter what others think about what you can achieve. Many will have negative thoughts about us. It does not mean that we should listen to them. Besides, you will write your goals in your diary. Not everyone needs to know them.

So after the year is over and the time has come to set new goals, we discuss whether we have achieved them with my friends. Obviously, not all of them have been successful, and the discussion ends with a lot of laughter. We do not need to be disappointed, though -humor always helps. We can always keep trying.

As we have said,… goals need motivation, faith, and work.