You know the adage: A new year, a new you.
After the holiday indulgences and distractions, you (like so many others) have immediately started looking ahead and setting goals. The calendar shift signifies a time of renewal. It’s time to get those abs (or quit that habit, or change your career, or…etc.) And you are feeling it. This is your year!
Fact is, the majority of the people that feel this way will fail. Why? That energetic feeling of renewal is simply not enough to propel you to make a change. We all need more than that. We all need a plan.
Good news is that there is still time. (There always is.) So whether you want to start making your bed more, begin an aggressive exercise regimen, or just stop picking your nose, here’s how you can truly begin.
Step 1: REMEMBER WHAT RESOLUTIONS ARE
The key to keeping resolutions is…well, being resolute. Make sure that your goals are in line with your values, and not a reaction from outside pressure. If you love you are healthy and like your beer belly, then you will not be too passionate about changing it. Be sure that your resolutions are true passions. That passion is the gas that fuels you through the hardest times. With no gas, your engine will sputter and die.
Smile and be excited. You have a passion and you are at the beginning of a journey.
HOMEWORK: Ask yourself why you want to accomplish your resolution. Write down the reasons.
Step 2: ASSESS THE ACTUALITY
No, do not underachieve. You should always be ambitious in setting goals and work toward making the changes you truly want to make. It is not easy.
However, also be sure that you are setting smart, realistic goals. Need to lose 200 pounds? Start by trying to lose 50. Be stringent but compassionate with yourself, and allow yourself the opportunity to overachieve. Decide now not to compare yourself to others (especially people in the media). By setting goals too high, you can never celebrate achieving anything.
HOMEWORK: Create a statement of EXACTLY what you want to achieve, and what you expect the work to be. Write it down. Keep it ambitious but real.
Step 3: PLAN
Another adage: “Failure to plan is planning to fail.”
Brainstorm as many ways of accomplishing your goal as possible, and ask yourself what obstacles you have faced before. Plan for those obstacles and create ways to avoid them.
If you want to go to the gym four times a week, do not simply show up on January 1. Develop a workout plan. If you are quitting smoking, research cessation remedies now. The more forethought you put into the struggles now, the more you will be prepared to face them.
HOMEWORK: Break down that thesis statement you created into smaller, more tangible goals. Make a list of all the problems you expect to run into and hypothesize ways you can deal with them.
Step 4: DEVELOP A SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Two adages: “You are only as strong as your weakest link.” and “It takes a village.”
Changing your behavior is hard work. Everyone is aware of that, and most good friends will be sympathetic to your new goals. Count on each other to keep you accountable. This means that you need to invest in your friends and their goals. The more people you have to answer to, the more you will stay on track.
If you cannot rely on a friend, make your goals public. Use social media (or start a blog) and be loyal in updating others about your progress. Strangely enough, you will discover that people are interested in your stories and your struggles. And their interest will help motivate you.
HOMEWORK: Share your goals with your friends and see if any of them are interested in being an accountability partner. Have them create a thesis statement, smaller goals and tactics. Ask how you can help them, and do it. Prioritizing their goals will inspire them to prioritize yours.
Step 5: DISPLAY FORGIVENESS
Everyone messes up. Be kind to yourself and get some perspective. January 1 is just another day. A resolution can be made (or affirmed) on any day at any time. If you are off the wagon by February you do not need to wait another eleven months. You can always begin again.
Learn from your mistakes and use that knowledge to empower you again and again. That is the key to accomplishing any goal. If you allow one slip-up to let you fall into an abyss of bad habits, you will never make progress.
Prepare to forgive yourself, but do not prepare to give up.
HOMEWORK: If you are struggling, go back to step one. Remember the smiling and the excitement.
Good luck! And Happy New Year! May it bring you everything you have ever wanted!
