How many of you started a year with a lot of great resolutions and miserably failed at most or all of them? I’m raising my hand right now and pretty sure quite a few of you did too.
We all have been down this path before, and we don’t seem to learn from our mistakes as we follow this pattern every year. Eventually, some of us stop, and some persist in hopes of success.
I do believe the intention or the desire to get better is genuine and maybe a little fueled by the mass effect, but we manage to identify what’s lacking and where we failed and come up with usually good resolutions. For some reasons, it’s easier to see where we fell short, rather than where we shone.
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But then, down the road we realize the new year isn’t so different; our life is pretty much the same – if not exactly the same, and we fall back into the comfort of the habits that prevented us from reaching that special place of ours in the first place.
We all know old habits die hard, right?!
Make it achievable.
It’s mentally difficult to change our lives especially when the machine is so well oiled. The fear of failing also plays a major factor in the decision making.
Changing is hard and takes more than just the fact that it’s the end of the year to make it happen. So to make it work, resolutions (I also call goals) must be achievable and realistic.
For example, writing 1 book is more realistic than writing and editing 3 in a year. Reading 2 books a month may be more achievable than reading 10 a month.
Goal setting is directly linked to our chance of success. One can have extraordinary goals, but it will take even more hard work to achieve.
With that said, you can absolutely challenge yourself and you always should. It just requires a level of dedication and hard work you need to be aware of.
Wanting the change is no longer enough…
Often, realistic goals are not attainable because of a lack of motivation. Recognizing that something is needed does not mean it’s important to us. Maybe it is, but we still can’t find the sparkles that will light up our motivation.
The goal should be above the desired stage and have matured enough to become to an essential need to our lives, and that must be achieved for us to feel good again or solve an issue impacting our quality of life.
Life gets in the way too often, but when the feeling of being accomplished or the need to solve an issue is bigger than us, there is no other choice than making it happen.
[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]You always figure out the “how” when reaching the goal becomes vital.[/tweet_box]
Do it for yourself
Anything is worth the pain if you do it for the right reasons. It’s never about pleasing someone, but about making a choice that will result in a positive outcome. It’s great to please your loved ones, but if the need does not align with yours and/or what’s healthy and good for you, then this is not sustainable.
[tweet_dis]Pick a goal that will make you feel proud when accomplished. Do it for yourself.[/tweet_dis] Your loved ones will support you if this is right for you. It’s not always easy, but compromises and communication are keys to success.
No pain No gain
Each goal requires hard work, steps that will require time, efforts or it’s often a painful process. This is usually where we stop, but if the reason matters to you, you’ll find the strength to overcome any obstacles.
Find the courage to go the extra mile. Push when everything doesn’t seem to fall into place, and look past the obstacles because you deserve it.
Achieving a goal is rarely easy, but it will seem more fulfilling if you work hard for it. So as 2017 makes its grand entrance, think about what’s important to you, what is worth your sweat and blood, or how you can come to the right change matter.
At the end of the day, resolutions are as good as the belief and energy we put into them. Make them count!