Planning for 2012--what we want the year to look like

We can of course arbitrarily make plans and goals for ourselves on any time frame (I could run my goals from May 27 through November 16 if I so desired)...but there is something that is so easy and natural about doing it at the end of year.  Here are a few things that either I am trying or that friends of mine are trying this year:

1)  Instead of yearly goals, one person I know is planning a series a 12 smaller monthly goals.  If successful, I have a feeling that the incremental successes will build upon each other and likely make the achievement of a larger goal much easier.

2)  Always see if you can develop your plan for achieving the goal before setting it--in that way, if its achievement is too complex, you will know in advance and can modify the goal or choose to address something else.

3)  This may contradict what I just said to some extent, but goal planning for the next year should also be something fun where you allow yourself to dream a little.  Trying something a little difficult or challenging is OK...and in fact should be embraced.  Look at it as an opportunity to push yourself into personal and professional growth.

Whatever you decide on in the end, over the course of the year it is always powerful to use conscious and subconscious ways to keep it top of mind (index cards or post it notes in key places, dream state work, etc)--you would be surprised the opportunities that these kinds of tools can open up.