Make this Your Best Year Yet! 9 Steps to Greater Clarity in Goals

1. 0:00 – 0:30

   Why clarity matters before the new year (and what this video will do)

   1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai0:00

      As we come to the close of any year, it's natural to start thinking ahead about the year to come. Some people like to start thinking about New Year's resolutions. Others prefer to spend their time reflecting on the year that was. Whatever your approach, having clarity on what you want for yourself before you kick off a new year is essential so that you can properly plan, visualize what you want to achieve, and actually set the right goals to help you get there. Hi, I'm Shade Zahrai, and I help professionals to hack their careers, overcome their limiting beliefs, and confidently create the extraordinary life

2. 0:30 – 1:30

   The psychology of self-concept clarity—and a key mindset shift

   1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai0:30

      they deserve. So in this video, I want to share with you nine steps to help you gain greater clarity and set the right goals before we kick into a new year so that you can achieve everything you want to achieve and have your best year yet. Before we get into it, I want to touch on the psychology of why clarity is really important. It's so much more than simply having an idea of where you want to go. According to psychology, self-concept clarity refers to the extent to which someone's understanding of themselves is clearly and confidently defined, internally consistent, and temporally stable. Basically, it's about knowing who you are, having beliefs that are aligned with your values, and living in accordance with these. And it enhances your psychological well-being, improves how you handle stress, and it bolsters your job performance. So this then raises the question that my clients are often asking me, how do I find clarity and direction? And it's a great question to be asking, but there's one fundamental flaw with how it's positioned. Clarity isn't something that you find. It's not going

3. 1:30 – 2:01

   Two premises that make the 9-step process work

   1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai1:30

      to appear at the bottom of your coffee mug one morning. It's not passive. You have to physically put in the time and the effort to reach your desired level of clarity. When I coach, I take my executive coaching client through the following nine steps to help them reach their desired level of clarity. It's supported by two premises. First, you will never have clarity unless you're first clear on your values and what's most important to you. And second, you need to invest the time to clear your mind of what you think you should be doing to allow for insight about what you

4. 2:01 – 2:16

   Step 1: Create space to hear yourself think

   1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai2:01

      really want to be doing and who you really are. So let's get right to it. Step one, create space. Clarity only comes when you give yourself time each day to just be. It requires you to silence the clutter of your mind to connect with your true self and higher purpose.

5. 2:16 – 2:31

   Step 2: Define your values (your internal compass)

   1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai2:16

      So commit to spending time each day being present with yourself. Be mindful, pray, meditate, breathe deeply with purpose and intention. It has to start here. Step two, what are your values? In order to gain clarity on where you want to go, ask yourself, what is most

6. 2:31 – 3:01

   Step 3: Identify your passions (when you’re at your best)

   1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai2:31

      important to me and why? As researcher Brene Brown says, our values light the way as we move through life. If we're not clear on our values, we can't gain clarity on who we are. Step three, what are your passions? Understanding your passions will give you an insight into when you're at your best. Finish the following sentences. I'm most passionate about, I'm happiest when, I'm at my best self when, what energizes me the most is. This will give you an insight into things that you want to dial up in the coming year. Step four, what is my

7. 3:01 – 3:16

   Step 4: Clarify your purpose (meaning and what you’ll struggle for)

   1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai3:01

      purpose? Based on your values and your passion, reflect on your purpose. How do you find meaning in life? What are you willing to struggle for? What makes you feel the most fulfilled? A hot tip here, make your purpose about something bigger than yourself, about being a role model, maybe helping others,

8. 3:16 – 3:31

   Step 5: Write a personal mission statement (verb + impact)

   1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai3:16

      making a difference. It will have so much more benefit to you and will be far more enduring. Step five, what is your personal mission? Having reflected on your purpose, pull it together in a short and sharp elevator pitch style mission statement. Ask yourself, who do I want

9. 3:31 – 4:01

   Step 6: Visualize your 5-year future (write the next chapter)

   1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai3:31

      to be? How do I want others to see me? And what impact do I want to have on others? Another quick tip here, a great framework for your mission statement is to think of it as having two parts. First is the verb, it's what you do. And second is the outcome, the impact that you want it to have. For example, my mission is to empower professional women with confidence and greater clarity. That's the verb. So they can overcome obstacles and advance in their career. That's the outcome. Step six, where do you see yourself in five years? Here is where you actually

10. 4:01 – 5:02

    Step 7: Set your life criteria (boundaries, FOMO to JOMO)

    1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai4:01

       pull together your reflections from steps two to five into a powerful visualization by creating a mental image of where you want to be in five years. Imagine that your life is a story and you're writing the next chapter. What will you write for yourself? What will you have achieved in your life, in your career? What impact do you want to have had? Visualization has been shown to have a huge number of psychological benefits, especially when coupled with positive emotions. Step seven, what is your life criteria? In order to make decisions in the coming year that are aligned with where you want to be in five years based on your visualization, you need to actually take time to determine what criteria you'll set for yourself when it comes to accepting new commitments or pursuing opportunities. Ask yourself, what do I want my life to be focused on and why? Then when an opportunity arises, instead of just accepting it immediately because FOMO, you want to actually evaluate it based on the life criteria you have set yourself. If it doesn't meet it, decline or respectfully decommit. Get comfortable setting personal boundaries.

11. 5:02 – 5:32

    Step 8: Choose one overarching priority for the next 12 months

    1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai5:02

       Your time and energy is valuable, especially when it comes to clarity. And you'll find that FOMO, fear of missing out, soon turns into JOMO, the joy of missing out. Step eight, what is your personal priority for the next 12 months? Working backwards from your vision, ask yourself, what do I want to achieve this coming year? What is my most important overarching priority and why? Just choose one. It could be to secure a promotion, to take on greater responsibility at work, to change industries, maybe increase your

12. 5:32 – 6:03

    Step 9: Crystallize intentions into 1–3 concrete goals (and write them down)

    1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai5:32

       salary, learn a new skill, maybe start a business. This is where the intentions for the goals come into place. And lastly, step number nine, crystallize your intentions. Clarity leads to action, which becomes motivation and creates momentum. Based on your personal priority for the next 12 months, what are one to three concrete goals that you'll set for yourself to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be? Write these down on post-it notes or on a whiteboard or notebook and keep them where you'll see them every day.

13. 6:03 – 6:43

    Wrap-up: the 9-step clarity process and call to action

    1. SZDr. Shadé Zahrai6:03

       Neuroscience research has shown that this visual cue is incredibly important for goal attainment. In fact, one study found that you'll be 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. So there you have the nine steps to guide you through a reflective process to help you feel a greater sense of clarity about who you are, where you're going, and the steps required to get there so that you make this next year your best year yet. In the comments, let me know what you thought of the nine steps. And if you enjoyed this video, please give it a like and subscribe. Make sure you hit the bell icon too so you're notified next time I publish a video. It really helps support the channel and it means a lot to me. I'm Shade Zahrai and I genuinely hope that next year is your best year yet.

Episode duration: 6:55