An Adventurer’s Guide to Setting New Year Goals

The fireworks have gone off, and midnight December 31 has been and gone. You have some big ideas for how you want things to be this year, but you’re not sure how to make it happen.

No doubt, since the dreaded COVID came into our lives and changed the landscape of racing, events, and your trust in signing up for anything, things may have changed for you in respects to how you plan things now. You may have become a little shy about doing so, lest all your hard work goes to waste.

So whether you’ve been running, adventuring, or getting out and about in nature for just a short time, you’re an old-timer (like me!), or you’re thinking of trying something new – here is my 3-step process for setting meaningful New Year’s goals and sticking to them, come what may.

You have big ideas for how you want things to be this year – here’s how to make it happen. Credit: Ben Wallbank

Step One

Review the Year Gone By

This is my fav! I love reviewing things. Seriously, I use this tool daily in all areas of my life, but it’s also helpful for the big stuff – like reviewing a year that’s been.

The review process and assessment tool I both use and recommend comprises just three questions:

1. What worked?
2. What didn’t work?
3. What can I do differently?

Reviewing is helpful in all areas of my life, but also for the big stuff. Credit: Ben Wallbank

When it comes to reviewing the year, you can break it down to any area of life where you want to experience growth moving forward. It’s an ‘all data, no drama’ approach.

Some questions you might want to consider here are how well your goals aligned with your values and beliefs, and how well your goals worked with your life. By answering these questions, you can gain some key insights into where you should be putting your time in the future.

When reviewing the year, you can break it down to wherever you want to experience growth moving forward. Credit: Ben Wallbank

I had an amazing year in 2022, completing my biggest mission to date: crossing new Zealand in a human-powered adventure. I started a business, and still have pinch-myself moments that I am in fact living the dream… or my version of the dream, at least!

I also raced a bit, and got back into the gym to get strong. COVID, illness, and injury stole time last year, but provided more time to reflect on what is really important to me.

What worked for me was adventuring, what didn’t work was doing races. The latter were good for PR or my sponsors, but what I have come to know deeply is that I must evaluate what I do in regard to my long-term plans and values – not what I feel ‘I have to do for sponsors’ or what I ‘should’ do as a ‘runner’.

I have come to know that I must evaluate what I do in regard to my long-term plans and values. Credit: Ben Wallbank

Step Two

Determine What You’re Aiming For, and Why

Is your goal to run your first 5km or your 10th 100-miler? Maybe you are moving away from racing and are more interested in having adventures in the wild. Whatever your goal is, it is great to consider what it is you get from achieving it, and who you get to be as a person by achieving that goal.

With a solid understanding of your ‘why’, you are much more likely to get yourself out of bed to do the less glamorous stuff that comes with working towards your goals!

4:00am starts are no problem when I’m doing it to be a better version of myself, but maybe a little harder if I’m just doing it because my friends are, or because social media made my goal look like a cool thing to do.

Getting to the gym to do my strength work is no problem when I value the long-term strength of my body, but maybe a little harder if all I care about is having a good run streak on Strava, or proving to myself that I can run X number of kilometres every week.

You get the gist. We can have intentions, beliefs, and values that are helpful and move us forward, or shi*tty ones that may set us up to fail. Knowing these, and coming from a strong and positive place from the outset, will set you up for success.

Getting to the gym is no problem when I value the long-term strength of my body. Credit: Ben Wallbank

If your ‘why’ also goes beyond just the achievement of the goal and the journey becomes the focus, then come what may in this crazy old world. Whether you achieve the goal you set or not, you get to be a better person either way – which is a win, in my book!

Step two is simple then, as simply statements:

1. My goal is to:
2. My ‘why’ for this goal is:

My goals moving into 2023 are to have more adventures that are in line with my core values, while also growing my repertoire of skills beyond running.  Running will always be my first love, for sure – but there are others skills that I would like to gain for other life experiences I would like to have. My ‘why’ remains firm in finding my edges, growing as a person, and showing others what is possible when we overcome our fears and limiting beliefs.

My ‘why’ remains firm in showing others what is possible when we overcome our limiting beliefs. Credit: Ben Wallbank

Step Three

Make a Plan

This step is essential. Make no mistake – without a solid plan, your ‘new year, new me’ goals are likely to become a distant memory and another failed resolution!

There are four key steps here:

1. Define what you are going to do, and when you are going to do it. You may be able to do this yourself, or you may need to go find an expert to help you. Either way, you must have a plan.
2. Establish your resources. People, places, and networks are all things that will support your plan. Don’t underestimate reaching out for the resources you need. This will include the tangible stuff like the appropriate gear, and the intangible things like managing your mindset.
3. Implement the plan. Make it happen. Structure your days, weeks, and months to support your goals. Give yourself the greatest chance of success.
4. Continually assess. Use that handy-dandy assessment tool I mentioned above to assess how things are going daily, weekly, and monthly. This will keep you moving forward:
   • What worked?
   • What didn’t work?
   • What can I do differently?

Without a solid plan, your ‘new year, new me’ goals will likely become another failed resolution! Credit: Ben Wallbank

There are four key steps to having a solid plan. Credit: Ben Wallbank

I mentioned already that I’m a planning geek. I’ve seen the value in it, and love it! I have my plan set for the next 6 months, and I will continue to bring in the resources I need to keep moving forward. I will take to each day being the person I need to be to complete my goals, and enjoy the benefits of the journey – come what may. 

So I’ll be running, climbing, and adventuring in big mountains, donning my mountaineering gear for winter to improve my skills for some long-term goals, and spending consistent time in the gym to keep this body of mine strong for the long term. I’m happy to sacrifice some weekly kilometres on the trails for years on the trails down the line.

I’ll be running, climbing, and adventuring in big mountains. Credit: Ben Wallbank

There is a great quote:

‘If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.’ – Zig Ziglar

Aiming for nothing will have you very likely achieve nothing. If you aim high – whether you get there or not – you will have learned lessons along the way, had experiences you otherwise wouldn’t have had, and grown along the way. Do yourself a favour and aim for something.

If you choose to set a goal and take some time to follow these simple and effective steps – you’ll look back on a year well spent, come December 31, 2023.

Do yourself a favour and aim for something. Credit: Ben Wallbank

What are your 2023 goals? Let us know in the comments!