New Year’s resolutions or setting goals oftentimes get a bad rap. I believe there’s an obvious reason for this. Usually, the person encouraging you to take action at the start of the New Year has decided on spicing things up a bit. They are trying to take you out of your routine by calling it something new. Their intentions are good, but pointless nonetheless. Friends, it is what it is. Resolutions are nothing more than a way to make a fresh start in our minds. There is nothing wrong with setting goals. In fact, I recommend this goal-setting-business be done throughout the entire year. Don’t be afraid to say that you have a New Year’s resolution. This only means that you want progress in your life, and there is nothing wrong with that!
So, with this in mind, I want to give you three simple steps to setting goals. By the end of this year, you will have proof that you either achieved or got really close to the goals you set.
Step 1: Vagueness is not your friend
The best way to set goals and achieve them is to set measurable goals. Don’t just say I want to lose weight, say, I want to lose 50 lbs. Don’t say, I want to have financial freedom, say I want to earn an extra $50,000. If you are vague, you have no way of measuring your success, and no matter how much you achieved within the year you will feel like you made no progress, thus making you feel like your New Year’s resolution was a bust. Maybe you did lose weight. Maybe you lost 5 lbs. This, by all accounts is a successful year, because you “lost” weight. However, if you want to see the results you really want then you must be specific.
Step 2: Get a calendar
Once you’ve written down measurable goals, now it’s time to set deadlines. Don’t be afraid of this part. Deadlines shouldn’t restrict you; they should provide you with space to work with. For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds, then what does that look like on a monthly basis? This translates to roughly losing 4 pounds a month, or less than a pound a week. This is doable, don’t you think? Set deadlines however you want. Quarterly, monthly, bi monthly—but set them. I promise that you will see improvement, finally moving you toward your goals.
Step 3: This contract is non-negotiable
Perhaps this tip is the most important one of all. This is when you decide once and for all that you mean business. That you will not turn back, because there is no back, there is only here and now. This is where you don’t negate on the contract you’ve made with yourself. Back to my losing weight example, if you truly want to lose weight then nothing should come between you and that goal. Again, this isn’t something that should scare you. This is something that should fire you up. Remember this, these are goals that YOU have set. No one has them for you. Meaning, this is something that YOU want. No one is forcing you to do or want this. So if you want this so badly, then give it fair shot. You are going forward, and you are never looking back.
I hope these tips help you in staying focused on your goals this year. And remember, be proud of your resolutions because they will help create the life you came to live!
Till Next Time!