Many of us look forward to this time of year and the exhilaration of the proverbial clean slate. We aspire to be better, often in the form of New Year’s resolutions. If you have trouble figuring out exactly what goals to set for the year ahead, you’re in good company. Maybe you're a fantastic resolution-setter but struggle with sticking to those resolutions. Looking for a little guidance? We've got a few titles to help you make and accomplish your goals in the coming year.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook by Stephen R. Covey
For those who are great at setting resolutions but not quite as skilled at the follow-through, a workbook that pushes you to evaluate your life and make changes may be the push you need. While most of us have already read the classic 7 Habits of Highly Effective People book by Stephen Covey, this workbook offers a more interactive approach to help you get going on these habits. Designed by Covey as a companion to his bestseller, the workbook is full of exercises and assignments to put these impactful habits into practice.
Creating a Vision Board That Works by Antasha Durbin
Vision boards aren't just a cute trend; creating them can help give you clarity on what you want out of life — and what you don't. In this hour-long audiobook, you'll learn how to design a vision board that's actually effective, not just plastered with pretty pictures that offer little inspiration. Once you have your board, Durbin helps you turn it into an actionable plan for success.
Design Your Day: Be More Productive, Set Better Goals, and Live Life On Purpose by Claire Diaz-Ortiz
You may notice a theme emerging: We want books that dig into the nitty-gritty of how to turn resolutions into reality. Diaz-Ortiz believes that effective planning is a critical and often overlooked component to achieving your goals. This “work smarter, not harder” approach helps you set big-picture goals and then roll them into daily tasks. Plus, at just over 160 pages, you can read it and get to work fast!
If you want to turn your resolutions into a bigger life plan, this book is a great place to start. While it may be one of the more intimidating titles on the list, you may appreciate how it forces you to sit down, take stock of where you're at, look at where you want to be, and create a plan to bridge that gap. By organizing life goals into ten “interrelated domains” and moving forward from there, Hyatt helps readers hone in on their most important goals.
The Self-Acceptance Project: How to Be Kind and Compassionate Toward Yourself in Any Situation by Tara Brach, Friedemann Schaub and Karla McLaren
If you find yourself discouraged by unsuccessful resolutions from your past, perhaps consider focusing more on self-acceptance before turning to the task of setting resolutions. Famed self-acceptance experts, including Tara Brach, offer essays on how to be compassionate to yourself. Don't let your inner critic keep you from your goals this year: Learn how to tame that voice, then get ready to tackle your resolution.
The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington
Want to turbo-charge your resolutions? Instead of thinking a year at a time, Moran challenges readers to think in quarter-years. That’s right, in The 12 Week Year, you'll learn about setting ambitious quarterly goals. Moran argues that the shorter time frame makes it easier to stay focused and avoid procrastinating. He includes practical tips for things like time management, breaking up your tasks, prioritizing, and getting your whole team on board.
Ultimately, setting New Year's resolutions is about taking command of your life, and Roth understands that more than most. In The Achievement Habit, cofounder of the Stanford d.school Bernard Roth explains how 'design thinking' can change the way you approach every element of your life. If traditional goal-setting doesn't work for you, this method might finally crack the code.
Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals by Debra Eckerling
This audiobook is a great workbook for goal-setting in a fun, easy-to-visualize way. Eckerling takes the literal roadmap and turns it into a metaphor for goal setting and attainment in a way that's easy to listen to and offers plenty of practical exercises and ideas. As with all these titles, there is homework involved. But if you take the time and create your own road map, the results can be transformative.
Who doesn't love a makeover montage? If the idea of reinvention appeals to you, turn to this classic. Now in its 20th year of publication, Reinventing Yourself tackles the typical roadblocks that our brains throw at us, from fraught relationships with money to keeping our ego in check and understanding the difference between success and happiness. This book won't help you specifically set goals, but it will change the way you look at your life and what you do next.
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
With an entire year laid out in front of you, the idea of setting ambitious goals seems great. That is, until you start thinking about the vast amount of work involved. What if you focus on taking advantage of the moment rather than the year as a whole? Bestselling authors-slash-brothers Chip and Dan Heath are here to explain why seizing the moment is arguably the best way to elevate your life. How can you make moments that matter — for yourself, your family, your clients or your customers? They explain.
