It’s that time of year again. Early January is the time to set lofty goals we are often inspired to achieve for about a month & then forget about until another year has passed. The new year brings with it the desire to better ourselves, but how to achieve our goals can sometimes seem elusive.
While we have been taught how to set goals & told that we should set them every year, we often don’t know the necessary steps we need to take to achieve them. Achieving an attainable goal should only take a bit of your time each day, but it is something you have to dedicate yourself to daily to achieve it. The steps to achieve your goal should becoming a habit, not a chore.
Follow these four simple steps to make this the year you achieve your New Year’s resolutions & create lasting change in your life.
1. Set the goal
What is it you really want to achieve this year? What passion do you have that gets you really excited? Where do you see yourself being truly happy? Nothing is off limits. Nothing is unattainable. Sit down & brainstorm ideas. Think about where you like to be year from now, & then…
2. Write it down
A goal in your head is erased as soon as a new thought enters. Write down your goal & put it in a place you will see it every day, such as your bathroom mirror. It should be something you see every morning so you remember to focus on it throughout your day. And every evening, you should see it so you can evaluate what you did that day to attain your goal & how much closer you are to achieving it.
When you write down your goal, make sure it is a SMART goal – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant & Time-bound. Don’t be vague about what you want – put some thought into what it is & be specific in your wording. Make sure it is measurable so you can track your progress. You don’t just want to lose weight – you want to lose 50 pounds. Now, make sure it is attainable. Maybe 50 pounds seems a little too daunting, but 30 pounds? That is doable. Make sure you aren’t limiting yourself, but you don’t want to set a goal that you can’t achieve either. Next, make sure your goal is relevant. Do you need to lost 30 pounds? Do you even want to lose 30 pounds? Maybe there is another goal that would be better for you to focus on this year. And lastly, your goal should be time-based. For most New Year’s resolutions, this timeframe is one year.
3. Make the steps to achieve your goal
A goal without a plan to attain it is as useful as a box of cake mix without any other ingredients. It has the potential to make a delicious cake, but without the eggs & oil, it’s just another box in your pantry.
Set a timeline for your goal, & then write out a list of smaller goals you have to achieve in order to make your big goal happen. Make sure the smaller goals are SMART goals as well.
For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds, just getting a gym membership & buying some celery is not going to make that happen. You need a plan & multiple steps to help you achieve that goal. Set aside time each day for a workout. Even better, mark the specific time on your calendar to make sure it happens. Look up healthy recipes & make a list of what you are going to eat each day. Keep a food journal. And then set timely goals for each month. By the end of month two, your goal should be about 10 pounds lost, which means each week you have to lose about one to two pounds. Focus on these smaller goals that will lead up to your bigger one, & by this time next year, you will be 50 pounds smaller.
This process applies to every goal you may set, not just losing weight. Set smaller goals along the way that will help you reach your big goal, & set aside time each day to achieve them. How much money do you have to save a month to save $1,000 by the end of the year? If you want to make this the year of trying new things, maybe make the third Saturday every month the day you try something new, like sky diving, so by the end of the year you have tried 12 new crazy things you never thought you would do. If you want to travel more, start planning your trip to Italy now, & each month set a goal you want to attain to make it closer to that trip: Save $1,000, get in touch with a travel agent, buy a fancy new dress you will only wear when you are finally being serenaded on a gondola. Whatever the goal is, set the steps you need to attain it, & then focus on those. They aren’t nearly as overwhelming, but if you follow the plan, the big goal will be achieved.
4. Evaluate as you go
Do not wait until December to discover you have or have not attained your New Year’s resolution. Evaluate your progress as you go. Now that you have daily, weekly & monthly stepping stones put in place for the year, you are able to evaluate if you are on the right track to achieve your resolution, or if you need to set more attainable goals, work harder, or change another habit that’s getting in your way or limiting your progress. Whatever you do, do not get discouraged. If you have not made one stepping stone, you can still be successful. It is much easier to make small adjustments along the way than to make a big life change at the end of the year.
What are your New Year’s resolutions this year? Leave me a comment below & let’s support each other this year!
P.S. Newsletter subscribers this month receive a FREE set of planner sheets for their journal to help them keep their New Year’s Resolutions all year long. Receive this & more perks all year by signing up for the weekly newsletter here.
P. P. S. Evolve is offering a 30-Day New Year, New You program to help you achieve your health & wellness goals. You can learn more by emailing me with any questions at TylerVLayne@gmail.com
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