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The quality of your year need not depend on the number of celebrities who die, or the fluctuations in the political landscape, or even events in your personal life. You can ensure that you have a great year by setting realistic goals and accomplishing them. That way, whatever happens around you, you can rest on your accomplishments.

Psychology Today suggests five questions to ask as you set goals:

1. Think about what’s inspiring your goals. Say you want to read more––ask why you want that. Because you used to read as a kid, and you want to return to that state of childlike enjoyment? Or maybe because you feel less-than-adequate at work and you want to get ahead. With that knowledge, you can better situate those goals within your whole life.
2. Break down your goals into categories, and make sure you have one goal from each category. For example, choose personal, professional, economic, and social goals. Picking one goal from each category will make sure you don’t hyper focus on one.
3. Understand how you spend your time before you set new goals. Knowing where you’re coming from can help you decide where to go.
4. Think carefully about the aim of your goals. Do you want to produce something, or do you want to feel a certain way? The latter may be hard to measure.
5. Consider the thinking habits that might hold you back. Are you trapped in negative-thought patterns? Do you have assumptions that are holding you back?

Here’s more to consider about goal-setting:

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