It’s that time of year!
Time to take an honest assessment of where you are in life, and decide what you’d like to achieve this coming year.
That said, it’s a sad fact that the majority of people NEVER see those resolutions come to fruition.
That’s why today, I’d like to share with you a few tips that will help you stick with your resolutions, no matter what – creating a NEW YOU in 2017!
Look, the MAJOR reason people don’t follow through on their resolutions is FEAR.
Change is scary. And committing to change is a scary endeavour, to be sure.
But follow these tips and you should be able to nip fear in the bud and actually accomplish what you set out to achieve in 2017!
1) Be specific.
You may have heard this a million times, but all too often people make non-specific resolutions like “I want to get fit.” Instead, drill down to exactly what you want. So, try a resolution like, “By March 31st 2017, I will be 10 kgs lighter.”
The specificity makes it more realistic and gives you a marker of success that lets you know you’ve ARRIVED at your goal.
2) Baby steps.
The fact that you’re making a resolution implies that you’re trying to change something in your life that’s pretty big. You’ve been unhappy with it for some time, which is why you’re resolving to change it.
Therefore, most resolutions tend to be HUGE changes. Getting fit, getting out of debt, etc are all BIG goals.
So in order to achieve them, you’re going to have to break them down into itty-bitty steps.
It’s like the old adage, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
So break down your resolution into “mini” resolutions that will serve as stepping stones to the bigger goal you want to achieve (i.e. I will walk around the neighbourhood for 20 minutes every day. I will eat only 1,700 calories for the next 30 days, etc.)
3) Don’t resolve to change what you can’t control.
This is a biggie. But make sure your resolutions are things that are directly under your control. For example, a resolution to get a “raise at work” is something that is ultimately beyond your control. Instead, make the resolution to “start my own part-time online business to give MYSELF the raise I want.”
4) Share your resolutions.
Let others know what you’re planning. Doing so will give you a sense of accountability that will help push you – especially during those times where you don’t “feel” like doing the actions you KNOW will get you to your goals.
Finally, don’t let fear get in the way of what you really want. Instead of dwelling in “what if’s” take action.
Action, no matter how small, will help give you the momentum you need. And once you’ve started taking action, you’ll have a better understanding of what you need to do to get to your final destination.
So this year, set some resolutions… and follow through on them until you’ve achieved them!