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One of the best ways to be ensure you’re closer to achieving your goals is to keep track of progress over time. Now, that doesn’t mean your goals have to be lofty or even long-term. Short-term goals can still involve several steps. So how do you keep your eye on the prize? After you break those S.M.A.R.T. goals down to steps, then mark each of these tasks as “completed,” “in progress,” or “not started.” It’s also not a bad idea to set up some type of reward system. Celebrate each step, each milestone. Setting and achieving long-term goals can go a long way to giving you a sense of purpose and a path. But don’t discount the power of small wins or the sense of accomplishment you feel checking off a task as done.

It’s 2021 and many of us could use a fresh start. Whether it’s training for the career of your dreams, finally investing some time and energy into your art or music, or it’s about getting serious and opening that small business: Lynda.com and the Library can help you. If you’re pressed for time or just a little “Zoomed out” at this point (and let’s face it, most of us are)… and all you can commit to right now is “30 Minutes of Learning” a week, trust that you can still make incremental and meaningful progress toward that #goal.

Why do so many of our New Year's resolutions end up failing? In addition to commitment and accountability, you also need 1) to be Specific, 2) have some Measure for success, and you need to 3) make it Achievable, 4) and Realistic given the 5) Time frame in which you hope to complete said S.M.A.R.T. goal. It's best to start small. As we kickstart 2021, ask yourself: What 1-2 skills have you always wanted to learn? Accept the 30 Minute Learning Challenge.