You can become more self-reliant this year by setting preparedness goals

Have you ever gone a year without setting any goals? How did that turn out for you? There was a time when I did not bother to look ahead to the future and that’s what I think goals really do for us. They help us make our future better.

This time of year there is almost a palpable pressure to set some goals or resolutions. Fortunately, I’m big on setting goals and can’t imagine my new year without them. How can you move forward if you don’t know where you are going, right?

Preparedness goals are ones that will lead you toward the ultimate goal of self-reliance. You will not achieve all the suggestions I’ve listed below in I one year.

Just take it one step at a time. This is not a race, more like a power walk.

First a review of what it takes to make your goals SMART.

S- Specific – A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the five “W” questions:

• Who: Who is involved, just you or others?
• What: What do you want to accomplish?
• Where: Identify a location.
• When: Establish a time frame.
• Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “Get prepared.” But a specific goal would say, “I will create an individual 72 hour kit for each family member by May 31st.”

M- Measurable – Establish firm and easy ways for measuring progress toward reaching each goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement. To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……

• How much?
• How many?
• How will I know when it is accomplished?
• How will I track my progress?

A- Achievable – When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.

R- Realistic – To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress.

T- Time Bound – A goal should be set within a time frame. With no end in sight tied to it there is no sense of urgency. If you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? “Someday” won’t work. But if you anchor it within a time frame, “by March 31st”, then you’ve set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal.

Be Aware! You must keep your goals front and foremost in your day, or after about two weeks – you will have moved on to something else. Take time over the next few days to do a little dreaming about the future and then write down what you would like to accomplish.

Put reminders on the mirror, send yourself a daily email notification, and add them to your daily to do list. Whatever you need to do to remind yourself about where you are going this year.

Download this SMART Goals Worksheet to help gather your thoughts

How many goals should you set?

That really depends on your ability to keep commitments to yourself. Set the most important one first. If your goal is to get out of debt this, then the rest is just frosting on the cake.

Sometimes I set one major goal in every area of my life and work on one each month. In the past I have set goals in these areas: personal, spiritual, physical, financial, relationships and preparedness.

Here are some preparedness goals to think about for the New Year

Financial goals: These are some of mine from past years. Just start where you are and consider setting goals that will help you:

• Get out of debt, see this post on Financial Freedom
• Reduce your debt by a certain amount. (i.e. Pay off $5000 this year)
• Keep a monthly budget
• Set aside money every month for your preps
• Reduce the amount you spend on groceries
• Balance your checking account every month

Preparedness skills to learn: I always have a list of things I’d like to be better at – how about you?

• Begin or increase your food storage
• Learn pressure canning or water bath canning
• Learn bushcraft
• Increase your knowledge of herbs and use them for home remedies
• Take the family camping and test your ability to be on your own
• Learn techniques to cook outdoors
• Make 72-hour kits for every family member
• Create a family emergency plan

Gardening goals: help you eat healthy and be more self-reliant

• Just begin! Learn about container gardening
• Grow one new vegetable in your garden this year
• Involve your family in the garden this year
• Grow enough food to have a salad a day
• Grow enough food so you have enough to dehydrate

Goal Setting ideas from the master – Zig Ziglar.

This book by Vic Johnson is consistently at the top of Amazon’s best seller’s for goal setting.

Michael Hyatt has a twice yearly goal setting program, 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever. (this is not an affiliate link, I just really like the course)  My husband and I did it last year with great success.

What are your goals for this year? Whatever your preparedness goals may be, make plans and begin!  Make them SMART and make them fun!  Share some of your preparedness goals in the comments section below and enjoy your year.