Let me guess. For 2015 you want to lose weight, get organized, spend less & save more, and enjoy life to the fullest. How did I know that? I’m smart like that! Well, not really (or maybe just a little :-)). Statistics show that those were the top 4 resolutions for 2014. More than likely they’re back on your list because that same research also shows that only a whopping 8% are successful at achieving their resolutions. So what happened to the others? My guess is that they failed to plan (not to mention, cupcakes are tough to say no to).
How can you prevent 2015 from being on repeat?
Get out your pens and journals; it’s time to turn those hopes into plans!
Here are some pointers to get you started:
Don’t overwhelm yourself: 3 goals should be sufficient. Anything more than that can become tough to juggle and may result in you quitting altogether. *winners never quit 🙂
Is your goal SMART: Is it specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time sensitive? “I want to lose weight” is typically difficult to follow through with but “I will lose 25 lbs by April 1, 2015” is a start. It’s essential to keep your goals smart, otherwise, you’re working with nothing to aim towards. The more specific the goal, the better. Be sure to stretch yourself. If you don’t feel challenged, you likely won’t follow through.
Break the goals down into steps: Now that you have your SMART goals, you can break them down into action oriented steps. For example, “I will replace one carbonated beverage per day with a glass of water” or “I will exercise for 20 minutes 5 days/week.” You get the point. If you know where you’re heading but have no roadmap as to how to get there…well, let’s just say that you won’t make it very far.
Why is it a goal: Know the purpose behind setting your goal. If you’re seeking to lose weight by eating healthy and exercising, your purpose may be to live a long life and ward off potential diseases. If your goal is to spend less and save more, your purpose may be for security and freedom. Knowing the purpose helps to keep you motivated when you start to fall behind.
What are 3 barriers you’re likely to face on the way to your goal & what are 3 solutions to those barriers: Roadblocks always occur. If you plan ahead, you’ll know how to deal with them when they arise as opposed to getting derailed because you weren’t prepared. Two of the most common barriers are procrastination and distraction. Ask yourself, “Why am I putting this off?” Then determine the smallest step that you can take to gain momentum. If getting distracted sounds more like you, plan to minimize distractions ahead of time.
Who will you be accountable to: Rally up a support system. Make sure it’s someone who’s motivated to keep you on track. If you’re both aiming for the same goal, regardless of if you have a different path, you can partner up with one another and achieve the goal together. There’s strength in numbers
Reward yourself: What’s your reward? There’s nothing like a small reward after accomplishing a huge task. Make sure your reward isn’t counterproductive to your goal. We deplete the most energy after achieving a goal so don’t be reluctant to take a small break and reward yourself before accomplishing your next big feat!
My challenge to you
Identify 3 goals that are aligned with your life purpose. Begin to break down those goals into steps and get to work on materializing your desires!
Journaling assignment
What’s holding you back from achieving your goals? What’s the smallest thing that you can do to overcome that obstacle(s)? Leave your comments. I would love to hear from you!