Happy new year! It’s not too late to say that yet, maybe next week.

I hope you had a good break and are feeling refreshed and ready to face 2025. If you spent some of the festive season comparing new year resolutions while inhaling mince pies, I have some bad news.

New year resolutions don’t work.

If they did, you wouldn’t have to make them every year.

They’re usually about what not to do, or what to stop doing. Instead, I want to get clear on my goals and create an achievable action plan.

I use this formula: 6xW + 2xH. It really trips off the tongue, don’t you think?

What the heck is 6xW + 2xH?

Let’s take the example goal of looking for a new job using 6xW + 2xH:

Grab a pen and paper and answer these 6xW enquiries:

1. Why? As Simon Sinek says, start with Why. Why do you want a particular job? Why is this important to you? What is the motivation behind that? Is it money, status, ambition, or does it tap into your core purpose?
2. What? Be specific. What will your title be? What responsibilities do you want? What salary are you aiming for? What are the non-negotiables? What culture do you thrive in?
3. Where? Where (physically) do you want to work? Do you want to be home based? Do you want to travel? Would you relocate? What does your working environment look like?
4. Which? Which organisations do you want to work for? Make a list of 20 companies you’d love to work for. Which qualifications do you need to get there? Which job boards will you use? Which recruiters will you approach?
5. Who? Who will support you and hold you accountable? Who can you seek advice from? Who can make introductions for you?
6. When? When will you start your job search? How much time will you put aside for it? How much time for online networking? When will you be in your new job?

Then answer the 2xH enquiries:

1. How? The biggie! How will you go about achieving your goal? How will you develop the skills you need to land your dream job? How will you improve your CV and LinkedIn profile so that they broadcast the right messages and show the world what you want to be famous for?
2. How many? You only need one job, but working back from that, how many meetings will you have to get to your goal? How many jobs will you apply for each week? How many messages or phonecalls will you have to make to get those interviews? How many new quality connections will you make on LinkedIn with people in those 20 target companies?

Reverse engineer it. Take the goal, and break it down step by step to work out what daily, weekly and monthly activities you need to put in place to reach your goal.

Then write a list of small achievable tasks you can crack on with every day – such as spending 30 minutes on LinkedIn, or making one call to a recruiter.

If you don’t have time to do everything on your action plan, you need to review it. Make it achievable so you can be consistent.

6xW + 2xH can be used for any goal to help you develop an action plan.

Then take small steps towards your goal every day and review your actions every week.

What do you think? It’s much more detailed than a new year’s resolution but it will MOVE YOU.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. May 2025 bring you only good things.