I love this time of year! New Year’s is a special gift. It’s a fresh start; a new twelve months to make your mark on. A new decade to make your dreams come true. The magic of all those possibilities is out there. Ron read an article on the radio today listing the Top Ten Resolutions for 2020. Number one on that list was to follow through with your resolutions. To help those of us struggling with making it happen, I scrounged up some great tips.
Goal theory is all based around making SMART goals. What the heck does that mean? Let’s break it down:
S- Specific: when you set a goal, be sure to set it with as much detail as possible. Don’t say, I’m going to be smarter with money. Instead, say I am going to reduce my spending and use those funds to pay off my debt.
M-Measurable: How do you measure success? If your specific goal is to reduce spending- how much? Do you want to save $10 more per month, pack a lunch to save $50 a week in groceries? Run 20 miles per week? Make it measurable!
A-Attainable: Is the goal realistic? Dream big, but the goal has to be something you can do yourself. It shouldn’t be something dependent on fate (ex: winning the lottery) Don’t cheat yourself out of the opportunity for self-improvement.
R-Relevant: How many of you have ever written down something on your checklist that is already complete just so you can have the satisfaction of checking it off? (Full disclosure, I have!) Same concept goes here. If you’re already at your goal weight, losing weight shouldn’t be at the top of the list. These goals are supposed to be about you doing something to better yourself. Checking off something you’ve already done is just wasting ink.
T-Time-bound: Someone wise once said a goal is a dream with a timeline. Give yourself a date that you want to complete your resolution by. Be realistic about the time expectations. If you’re starting from scratch, you probably won’t be marathon ready by February. However, you might set the expectation of running 3 miles by the end of February.
Here are a few more quick tips:
- Set your intention every day. Write it down each morning, say it as an affirmation in your mirror, put it on your fridge, set it as your screensaver at work. Whatever you have to do to keep your goal in front of you every day. Being intentional about your goal is how you stay focused.
- Plan it! How are you going to work toward your goal? What time are you headed to the gym today? When are you meal prepping your lunches so you don’t go out and spend on fast food? Plan ahead so you know how you’re going to make it work.
- Set mini-goals. The goal is a marathon, maybe set a mini goal of running a 5k. When you reach each of these goals, celebrate, but do it in a way that honors that goal. Don’t celebrate your 5 pound weight loss by eating a chocolate cake. Instead, celebrate by cooking a new healthy recipe with your friends.
- Don’t try to do it all at once. I have more than one resolution, and I bet you do too. But here’s reality: if you try to start exercising, spend more time with the kids, write a novel, and finish a bathroom remodel at the same time, the only thing you’re going to get is frustrated. It takes 21 days to make a habit. Let yourself get into a routine before introducing more chaos.
Remember, failing is not an excuse to fall off the wagon. You ate one bad meal. Don’t allow that to ruin all your progress. Take it in stride, and do better at the next meal. We don’t set the car on fire because it has a flat. Take a breath, start again, and keep trying!
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