The end of the year is fast approaching, and my guess is you have made a few New Year Resolutions that you want to accomplish. Congratulations! The first step in being successful with your goals is to set them. We all have great intentions about setting goals each year. For some of us, though, halfway through January, we find ourselves going back to old habits. Making us feel like failures, but it doesn’t have to.
I remember years back when someone had informed me, they were changing their lives, and on their set date, they had a list of goals they were going to accomplish. There were at least three goals that I can recall. Such as, stop drinking sweet tea (something they’d been doing since they were a baby), quit smoking, and start eating healthier.
Of course, I wanted to support and encouraged them all I could, but in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but think they were trying to change too much.
Within two weeks, they were drinking sweet tea again. After a month, they had stopped working towards all their goals.
Fifteen years ago, I decided to make a goal. I wanted to eat healthier for my chronic illness. My focus was going to be on one meal a day. I loved a big breakfast, so I knew that if I only focused on getting this done, all other meals would come more easily. My favorite breakfast consisted of eggs, bacon, biscuits, and orange juice. Now it would be a green smoothie. I vowed to do this six days a week, for an entire year. The seventh day was my reward day. To this day, I still have a smoothie each morning for my breakfast and allow one day a week to have a breakfast of my choice.
The difference between these two scenarios? I focused on one goal.
By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands—your own. —Mark Victor Hansen
After achieving that goal, I knew I could accomplish any goal I wanted. Since then, any goals I make for myself I do one at a time. These are the steps that I make to succeed at all my goals:
Focus on One Goal.
You will have greater success if you focus on one goal at a time. This goal should be realistic and attainable. If you are new to goal setting, start small and work your way up. For instance, you want to start exercising thirty minutes a day. Why not set your goal on your first day to exercise for five minutes, then each day add five more minutes until you’ve reached your goal of thirty minutes.
When we start small and make those little achievements, we feel good about ourselves and want to do more.
Make a commitment.
You must commit to doing your goal for a minimum amount of time. Research shows that it takes 21 days to make a habit. To successfully achieve your goals, use the twenty-one days as your minimum starting point. If you feel you need more time, then go ahead and add all the time you need.
The main thing is to stay committed to whatever your objective is.
Create an action plan.
An action plan is great to have and keep with you all the time. I have created one for you to print and download. If you choose to make your own, your action plan should include daily affirmations, attainable steps, and a calendar for you to check off each day. Additionally, there are many great goal planners out there you can choose. Read the article: Best Self Development Journals
Share your success.
If you share your success with others, you are doing several things. One, you are making yourself accountable. When others are watching us, we tend not to want to disappoint them, so we do our best. Second, most people will be supportive and encourage you to keep going. That will make you feel amazing! You are also showing others that they too can reach their goals.
Be Prepared for Temptations.
No matter what your goals are, there will be some schmuck there trying to make you fail. You must prepare for this. Limit the time you spend with your temptations for at least the first twenty-one days, including other people, places, or things. Whatever it is, get rid of it.
Reward Yourself.
I get told all the time how sorry everyone feels for me because there is no way they could live their life without eating their favorite foods. Not the case. I have a favorite food, and it goes by the name of Tacos. Never will I give up eating tacos, that’s insane even to consider such a thing. I eat healthy 80 to 90% of the time, and once a week, I reward myself with Tacos. Your reward can be anything you like but choose one thing that you can’t live without.
I wish you the best of luck! And if your goal happens to be working on your mindset, then I would love for you to join us each week for our mindfulness challenge.
I love to see people achieving their goals. If you have a story of success, please feel free to share it with us.
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