8 Steps to Achieving and Keeping Your New Years Resolutions

Here we go again! Another year..another set of resolutions. How did you do last year? Can you remember what you promised yourself that you would accomplish? Are you one of the 80% of resolution makers that will become a resolution breaker?

If you are like most people you really have good intentions but by mid February you have abandoned your goals. Oh you may pick them up again a couple of times only to abandon them again. You really intended to lose weight, quit smoking, eat healthier, exercise, start your own business, etc.

So why can’t most people seem to stick to their goals? We forget or maybe get sidetracked. We may even not really be committed. But we set the goals every year, well, because that’s what people do, isn’t it. This year is going to be different we say. This year I will do it! This year I will be successful!

This year follow these 8 steps to ensure that you are in the top 20% of resolution keepers.

1.Make sure this is your goal.

Whatever your goal, whether it be to lose weight, exercise, go back to school or start a new business venture take some time to discover why you want this. Are you doing this for yourself or for someone else? Do you want to lose weight because your spouse wants you to or because you really want to? Be honest.

Maybe you are happy in your current profession but someone has convinced you that you should go back to school or to start a new business. If you are not 100 % invested emotionally in your goal chances are you will end up in the group of resolution breakers.

Oh you will probably have lots of good reasons why you didn’t succeed and I am sure none of them will be your fault but the truth is that the goal was never yours to begin with.

You simply cannot achieve other people’s goals.

Write a list of 10 benefits you will receive if you achieve this goal. If you find this task easy you are on the right track. Keep going. If it is hard to come up with 10 benefits you probably need to rethink this goal.

2.Quantify

Most people are too vague about their goals. “I want to lose weight? I
want to start a new business. I want to quit smoking. I want to become healthier. I want to exercise more.” etc.

Define the what, when, why and how. Let’s use weight loss for an example since this is a popular goal.
a) What amount do you want to lose?
b) When do you want to lose it?
c) Why do you want to lose this weight?
d) How do you plan to lose it?

If you don’t know where you are going how will you ever know when you have arrived? Be specific. I want to lose 50 pounds by August 1st so that I fit comfortably into the beautiful dress I see myself wearing at my son’s wedding. I plan to exercise 2 to 3 times each week for an hour each time. I will also walk the dogs 5 times a week for 30 to 40
minutes each time. I will attend weight watchers each week and follow their program and I will listen to a hypnotic weight loss program 3 to 5 times each week to ensure that I stay on track with my goals.

This is a goal that will most likely be achieved.

3.Pace Yourself

Chances are you have many years left to come. You don’t have to do
everything this year. Pick one or two goals to focus on, any more and you may become overwhelmed. Wouldn’t it be better to achieve only one or two goals than to abandon 10?

Again, spend some time alone to discover what it is that you really want this year. What would make you feel on top of the world? Maybe it’s getting that degree or at least starting school or maybe finally losing the weight you want or getting off of your blood pressure or diabetes medication by taking better care of your body.

If you have a long list and are not sure where your focus should be try this exercise.

One by one visualize yourself achieving each goal. Which one makes you smile when you think your success? This is a good place to start.

4.Enlist help.

Nobody ever said you had to do everything alone. If you want to get
in better physical shape maybe you need to enlist the help of a personal trainer. Wanting to double your business revenues this year? Get a Business Coach. Wanting to change careers? A Career Coach will keep you focused. Wanting to lose weight? There are a number of options here from Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers to a Life Coach or Hypnosis recordings. Want to get a more balanced life? Take a meditation class or enroll in yoga.

Successful people know the benefits of hiring help. Professional athletes all have trainers and coaches and successful business people have mentors and coaches. Smart people ask for and get the help they need to achieve their goals.

5.Buddy up.

The buddy system really does work. The key is to find someone who has
the same goals in mind as you do and the same level of commitment and work at your goals together. Go to the gym together, check in daily to see if you each stuck to your diet, meet once a week to go over your business goals and to help push each other along to keep focused. In other words hold each other accountable. If you know that someone else is counting on you to show up and to do what you said you would do it is easier to stay focused.

6.Set Realistic Goals

Is your goal realistic? Being a positive thinker I believe that anything is possible however I have often seen clients abandon their goals because
they just didn’t think they would ever be able to achieve them. Sometimes it is easier to take small steps instead of one giant leap.

Instead of 50 pounds by August 1 maybe you could break it down into more manageable and easily attainable goals. I will lose 8 pounds in January and 7 pounds each month after that until I reach my ideal weight. Now doesn’t that sound easier to accomplish?

7.Visualize your Success

Spend a few minutes each morning visualizing or just imagining how you will feel when you achieve your goal. Get as detailed as possible. Where will you be, what will you be doing, how will you look and feel. Visualize or imagine how other people will react to you. This only takes a few minutes and can be done while you are in the shower, shaving, brushing your teeth, etc.

8.Celebrate each and every success!

Don’t wait until you have reached “The goal” to celebrate. Give yourself a pat on the back all along the way. Praise yourself for every accomplishment. Start a journal and each day write down something that you did to move you closer to your goal. If you have a day when you can’t find anything that you did right (we all have those days) simply write that you are focused on moving forward tomorrow.

Kathryn Watson is a Life Coach and a Hypnotherapist. She helps her clients define and stay focused on their goals. Whether your goal is to lose weight or grow your business working with a coach will help you achieve success. Kathryn offers Life Balance and Meditation workshops and has created numerous audio products for weight loss and more. Visit kathryn at http://www.relaxforsuccess.com

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