Resolutions and Goal Setting

The holidays are here! Decorations, family, friends, celebration, tradition, gift-giving, food, food, and more food. Many of us mark the end of the year by making New Year’s resolutions. We look to achieve something in the coming year that will enhance our lives or make us better people, but how many of us actually achieve our goals? By properly and formally setting goals, we stand a much better chance of staying on track and keeping these promises to ourselves.

To begin, think about where you want to go in life and what you want to accomplish in the coming year. 

This is an important step and will help you narrow down your focus, so do a little brainstorming. Now look at your list and narrow it down to just a few goals that are truly important to you. Pick one thing on your list and envision the end result. Break down the overall process into a series of small targets. If at all possible, break those small targets down into even smaller steps.  Use this strategy for each of the goals that you have chosen.

Hints on picking your goals:

State each of your resolutions in a positive way and be as precise as you can about what it is you want to achieve. Set realistic goals that you can achieve rather than shooting for a grandiose outcome that will only set you up for failure. Include timeframes for completion.

Now write it down! The act of putting pen to paper makes your aspirations real. Write down those steps to achieving your goal too. Post your goals in a place where you will see them often and set a regular time to sit down and review your target and your action plan for the coming week.

Pick a quiet time each week, perhaps every Sunday, to review your tasks for the upcoming week. If you’re finding that your action plan needs tweaking, then make the needed adjustments and reset you direction. Refining as you go is essential to achieving your final goal.

This is also the time to cross each step off your list as you get the job done. You’ll be able to actually see that you’re making progress on your self-improvement journey. When you’ve finished your tasks for the week, enjoy a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Who doesn’t like a reward for a job well done!

Now here’s the tough part: Stick with it! Remember, this is a process, an on-going journey. Those New Year’s resolutions and goals are much more than just stating that you want something to happen. You have to clearly define what you want and how you need to get there. By taking the time to move through these steps you greatly increase your chances of success.

Good luck to you as you begin your journey into the new year!