The end of the year is traditionally a time to reflect on the past twelve months and set resolutions for the year to come. We start on January 1^st with high aspirations and motivation to make change in our life, but our resolve doesn’t survive much beyond the end of January.

While a desire for self-improvement might get us started, it’s rarely enough to keep us going all year. Having a plan can make a huge difference in the accomplishment of goals or resolutions. The following 20 questions can help you map out a plan that will have a stronger chance of success for the year.

Take a few minutes to reflect on the previous year and ask:

1. What went well?
2. What didn’t work out as I had hoped?
3. What unexpected joys did I discover?
4. What unexpected obstacles came up?
5. How did I deal with the obstacles?
6. Could I have done anything differently?
7. Are there unrealistic expectations I need to let go?

Looking ahead to 2013:

1. What are my goals for the coming year?
2. What steps must I take to get each goal started?
3. What are my dreams for the coming year?
4. What steps can I take to change each dream into a goal?
5. What resolutions will I make for the coming year?
6. What steps must I take to stick to my resolutions?

Once goals and resolutions have been set, ask these questions:

1. How will I structure the year to support my goals?
2. How do the elements of my lifestyle support reaching my goals?
3. How can I change the non-supportive elements?
4. Where do I need to be more disciplined?
5. Where do I need to relax?
6. How am I measuring progress towards my goals?
7. How will I celebrate milestones and accomplishing my goals?

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