Best Personal Goals You Should Prioritize in 2024 | Mira Health

Best Personal Goals You Should Prioritize in 2024

While many peoples’ new year's goals are focused on their health, there are many other ways to prioritize bettering yourself in the coming year. Setting boundaries, focusing on opportunities for self-growth, self-acceptance, and prioritizing your own needs are a few goals you should prioritize in 2023.

You don't have to wait for the new year to set personal goals. Without insurance, you can still take steps to prioritize your health through a care membership plan. With Mira, members have access to low-cost urgent and virtual care services to stay on track with their health. Mira has plans for individuals, families, and even employers for any type of worker. Join today!

The Importance of Setting Personal Goals

Setting realistic goals for yourself can have several benefits in life. Edward Locke and Gary Latham (1990) are leaders in the goal-setting theory and found that goals affect behavior and job performance while helping to mobilize energy, which leads to an increase in effort. Goals help motivate us, and accomplishing our resolutions can lead to satisfaction and habits.

In 2021, the most popular resolutions people made last year were: exercising more and improving fitness (50 percent), losing weight (48 percent), saving money (44 percent), and improving diet (39 percent). While prioritizing your health each year is incredibly important, you should also prioritize other aspects of your wellbeing. To do so, setting boundaries should be at the top of your list.

According to Locke and Latham, these are the five goal-setting principles that can help improve your chances of success:

  1. Clarity
  2. Challenge
  3. Commitment
  4. Feedback
  5. Task Complexity

Last year, of those who made a New Year’s resolution, only 75 percent were still successful in keeping up their goals during the first week. By six months, only 46 percent of people who made a resolution were still successful in keeping it.

1. Setting Boundaries

Setting boundaries is imperative to stick to your personal goals, so it’s the perfect place to start. Billy Roberts, Licensed Clinical Therapist and owner of Focused Mind ADHD Counseling, highlights the importance of setting boundaries. He says, “if folks want to become the best version of themselves, then setting clear boundaries is key. The primary value of boundaries is that they are an exercise in self-worth.”

Certified Life Coach Virginia Walton echoes these sentiments regarding the importance of boundary setting. She says, “when we talk about setting boundaries, we often think it means saying no to something. I believe the first boundary we need to set is with ourselves. Making your wellness a priority is part of setting boundaries.”

2. Self-Growth

Self-growth is a broad category for goals, so setting small and manageable intentions for your growth can help you attain this goal. For example, if you want to grow in the following areas: managing worrying thoughts, learning in an area of interest, or focusing on the good things in your life, consider these actions as suggested by Melissa Jones:

  1. Start by making a small change in your morning routine.
  2. Listen to a podcast on your topic of interest for 30 minutes on your way to work or as you’re getting ready for the day.
  3. Jot down five things you are grateful for from the day before.

3. Self-Acceptance

Self-Acceptance is acknowledging your past mistakes as milestones that grew you into the individual you are today. “Too many clients I see beat themselves up for what they did in the past. The secret is to forgive yourself, understand your key lesson from experience, and move on,” says Elena Mosaner.

4. Appreciate the Present

Jeff Mains, a five-time entrepreneur, suggests you take a moment to answer this question: how much of your day has been occupied by thoughts of the past or future? “Encourage yourself to be thankful for the blessings in your life, take note of the beauty in your surroundings.”

5. Improve Your Health

Achieving proper health means modifying your lifestyle, not just your number on a scale. Consider the following seven dimensions of wellness:

  1. Spiritual
  2. Physical
  3. Emotional
  4. Intellectual
  5. Environmental
  6. Social
  7. Occupational

6. Make Time for Your Hobbies

Andrew Johnson, CEO of Prime Seamless, suggests that for people to become the best versions of themselves, they should thrive on learning new skills and talents. “Do you have an interest you wanted to pursue but never had the time? Do it now!”

7. Better Your Relationships

Listening is more than just hearing; it requires your undivided attention. Listening helps strengthen relationships and demonstrates attentiveness.

Bottom Line

Setting goals for yourself can seem daunting if you have a new list of tasks that need to be completed each day. A healthy mindset, habits, boundaries, and prioritization of your values can be the start of a positive chapter in your life and relationships.