How To Plan Your New Year's Resolutions In 3 Steps
Is it that time of the year already when you have to make your resolutions for the next 12 months?
The older we get, the faster time seems to fly by.
Are you one of those folks that set your goals in December and by the time March rolls around, you’ve all but forgotten about them?
Unfortunately, millions of people around the world fall victim to the enemy called, “Inconsistency” and eventually give up on their hopes, dreams, and desires.
This is very sad because we only have so much life to live and there are no Rewind Buttons that can be pressed to get a Do-over.
This means that you have everything to lose and a lot more to gain.
I know that’s the opposite of what we’re taught in this society.
It’s just like the saying, “Things Could Be Worst.”
Why default to using that depressing and disempowering phrase?
Instead, you should say, “Things Could Be Better,” because this will change your thinking from feeling hopeless to a possibility-based mindset where you seek opportunities.
You’ll begin to see the glass half-full instead of half-empty.
Setting and achieving goals in life is both a science and an art.
If you want to accomplish anything significant in life, you must master the art of achievement.
This is not so easy, if it were; everyone would be living their best life.
Just know that whatever your goals are, the only way to increase your chances of accomplishing them is by creating a plan and following through on it.
I’m not going to paint this rosy picture by telling you that you can achieve anything, because a lot of the time things don’t work out.
But, that doesn’t mean that you just give up.
If one thing doesn’t work, try something else until you have success.
If you’ve been struggling with planning and following through on your New Year’s Resolutions, keep reading because I’m going to provide you with a 3-Step process to help you out.
Let’s begin…
STEP 1: Identify Your Goals
Anytime you’d like to make changes for the better in your life, the first thing you must do is brainstorm a list of specific goals you want to achieve.
Setting vague half-baked goals is not going to cut it, because you must be very specific.
The more specific your goals are, the easier it’ll be to find proven solutions, which will shortcut the process and get you to your desired outcome without a lot of trial and error.
Examples of specific goals:
- Lose 20 pounds and be at 15% body fat
- Start an online business and make $50k in 12 months
- Go on at least two date nights with my significant other
- Have a family night at least twice per month
- Spend at least one day a month with friends
Look at the first goal, which is to lose 20 pounds.
You may not know how to lose 20 pounds or get your body fat percentage down to 15%.
However, you do know there are countless weight loss programs available on the market that you could invest in to make it happen.
Now, do you see the importance of setting specific goals?
STEP 2: Create a Plan
How are you going to accomplish your goals? What are you going to do and when?
Your plan should include specific benchmarks so that you can measure progress and stay on track.
NOTE: You can’t manage what you don’t measure, and this is crucial for tracking and making progress.
Just like your overall goals, your benchmarks should be measurable and realistic.
Are you going to lose five pounds per month?
Will you work out at least three days a week?
Start with small steps that you can easily accomplish.
As you accomplish your initial goals, the momentum will build, so that it is easier to complete tougher steps later on down the road as you progress.
As you complete each step, acknowledge your progress and reward yourself with something that isn’t going to detract from your overall goals.
If your goal is to lose weight, don’t reward yourself with a candy bar for losing five pounds.
Treat yourself to a movie or a new pair of shoes instead.
If you don’t succeed in completing one of these steps, don’t give up; stay flexible and committed to achieving your ultimate goals.
TIP: Make sure that the reward matches the goal you accomplish.
For example; if you lose those 5 pounds, treat yourself to a massage or a round of golf.
Don’t go out and purchase expensive jewelry unless you’ve reached a major milestone like losing 20 pounds.
How are you going to achieve your goals?
Are you going to join a gym or build one in your home with home gym equipment?
Will you start a proven weight loss program so that you can melt those extra pounds off?
You must identify all of the support systems that you will need in advance, which is why it’s so important to set specific goals.
Are you starting to see how all of this is coming together?
STEP 3: Execute Your Plan
After you’ve set specific goals and created your overall plan, there’s only one thing left to do and that’s Take Action!
Nothing happens without taking action.
Visualizing and creating dream boards are fine and dandy, but by themselves, you have nothing more than wishful thinking.
If that’s all it took, we’d all be living our dream lifestyles, right?
Once your plan is in place, the real work begins, which is where most people tend to give up and not follow through, especially when faced with challenges and roadblocks.
Before you begin executing your plan, be certain you identify your support system, such as family and friends to help you along your journey.
For example, if you want to lose weight, find a workout buddy that will hold you accountable, keep you motivated, help you to eat healthier, and not let you off the hook or make excuses for not following through on your commitments.
Related Article: 13 Ways To Master Time Management
Make a public commitment by telling others what you plan to accomplish in the New Year.
Just telling someone else what your goals are will also make them more real.
If you just keep them to yourself, you can always change your mind as if they never existed, but once someone else knows about your goals, they become real and solidified.
Don’t forget, you go to a relationship to give and not just take.
Be certain to provide support to those that support you, so that you’re not perceived as a User.
Nike says it best, “Just Do It!”
Conclusion
You’ve just discovered How To Plan Your New Year's Resolutions In 3 Steps.
It’s easy to set your goals, but can be difficult to accomplish them.
Anything in life worth doing requires a lot of work.
There’s just no way around this fact.
I know that we all want to be inspired, motivated, and hyped up by some guru or life coach, but the reality is that setting and accomplishing goals takes consistent hard work.
There are no free lunches and no one is going to hand you success on a platter.
However, the more specific your goals, the better, because you can invest in solutions to help you accomplish them a lot faster without wasting time trying to figure things out on your own.
For instance, if you’d like to make some extra money from home, you could start an online business by modeling a proven system.
I truly believe that you can accomplish your New Year’s Resolution goals by modeling success.
I’ve put a lot of emphasis on modeling success in this article for a good reason.
One of the biggest reasons most people fail to accomplish their goals is that they don’t know how.
This is why I recommend modeling others who have already successfully accomplished the goals you want to achieve.
If you apply this simple methodology and follow through, you’ll drastically increase your chances of accomplishing more of your New Year’s Resolution Goals, period!
So, stay positive and be flexible, but keep your eyes on goals.
Simply set your goals, create a plan based on proven processes, and execute the steps necessary to get the results you desire.
Bonus Tip: The best way to stay motivated when you feel like giving up is to ask yourself, “What Will It Cost Me If I Were To Quit?”
Example: If I were to quit working out and eating healthy, I’ll run the risk of developing serious health problems such as diabetes, and high blood pressure, gaining more weight, and possibly shortening my lifespan.
Do you see how asking yourself what it’ll cost you to quit on your goals could help blast you past any obstacles that may get in your way?
You will find that once you start setting and achieving your goals consistently, you won’t wait until December to do so.
Goal setting and achievement will take place year-round naturally, and that’s a beautiful thing!
Remember, making New Year’s Resolutions without having a plan to accomplish them is just wishful thinking.
Start setting your goals today and make this upcoming year your best!