New Year's is coming up and of course the classic ‘New Year Resolution’ question will be going around your social group. I personally have never taken up new years resolutions. The reason is simple, I constantly apply change and development in monthly and yearly formats. I have however, set goals and changes around September each year at my university and ever since. So I guess you could count this as an academic ‘New year Resolution’, that I continue to this day as it is a form of habit for me now.
Whether or not you usually implement personal development and try to improve yourself in specific ways does not matter. You will either have never bothered, tried and failed or have found success in your aspirations.
The tips that I wish to share with you are those that will help you to clarify your 2018 goals and resolutions as well as implement techniques to ensure you achieve them successfully.
If, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, whilst expecting the same result", (Albert Einstein), then make sure your 2018 is set up to try new things, fail, learn, reevaluate and eventually lead to success.
Whether or not you usually implement personal development and try to improve yourself in specific ways does not matter. You will either have never bothered, tried and failed or have found success in your aspirations.
The tips that I wish to share with you are those that will help you to clarify your 2018 goals and resolutions as well as implement techniques to ensure you achieve them successfully.
If, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, whilst expecting the same result", (Albert Einstein), then make sure your 2018 is set up to try new things, fail, learn, reevaluate and eventually lead to success.
1. Start now!
Yes, that's right, start now. If you have already decided, you are in a much stronger mindset than waiting to start another day. That quickly sinks and you will no longer have the motivation. You will also solidify the decision you are making by applying even the smallest step.
End 2017 the same way you intend to be 2018 and beyond.
What could you do right this second that will get you closer to your goal? Make the step process for today, tomorrow and the following. Ensure that each day has are doing something towards your goal. No matter how small it is. So long as you have a small task achieved, you are likely to want to progress do more, and make sure you have a further two days of tasks and steps prepared so you will never forget or get lost with your resolution.
Preparing these every evening and completing them first thing in the morning are going to prepare, motivate and keep you on target.
2. Discover your end goal and why you want this?
Picture yourself as the person you want to become. The non drinking version of you, the lean machine, the chef, business owner or non procrastinator. What are they doing and who do they look, feel and act like.
Next ask yourself,
- “Why do I want to achieve this change”?
Not the superficial stuff now. It's only you and I, so you can write this down and you can be honest, why do you want this? Knowing your ‘WHY’ every single day when you awake from your sleep will ensure you find the intrinsic motivation to do the actions necessary to achieve your goals.
3. Make a timeline.
12 months, 52 weeks or 365 days. That's a lot of mental power to change and a hell of a mountain climb. Let's face it, a 100m sprint is easier than a Marathon. Even though you might not be the fastest, at least you can see the finish line.
What’s even better is you only have to cross a 100m line to feel good about yourself. If you did that during a Marathon, you would feel good about yourself 421.95 times.That is a whole lot of feeling good about yourself!
Your goal is of course a long distance, but the steps to achieve it are the 100m sprints. If you skip out the steps, you are likely to fall short on the end goal.
The most challenging aspect is keeping focused on a daily basis. I know myself too well and I’m sure you'll be the same. You will set out strong to do it every single day. As soon as the day comes that you forget however, you will never go back to the goal or at least all hell will break loose in your world.
This is a technical fault that gives you an instant out. It's like a break clause in the contract. You will wake up at 6am every day until the day you don't, then that's it until 2019.
Sound familiar? I sure have tried and failed this way. So what's the solution?
Work towards 3 months as the long term. Meanwhile setting a short term of 2 weeks. Lets see how far can you go for 2 weeks. This gives time to reevaluate the goals and current abilities.
- Do you need help?
- Is what you are doing working?
- Could you change something to make it work?
These questions can save you for falling short and repeating the process 6 times over the 12 weeks will get you further than jumping the gun on a Marathon race you don’t even know the route of.
4. Keep your head down.
There was once a girl trying to achieve her dream. She had a backpack of supplies, a book and her dream. Her dream was to make it to the mountain. The mountain was huge and visible from where she lives, but the problem was that is was very far away and had a lot of road and obstacles in the way.
The girl kept the mountain in her sight, every single step of the way. However, no matter how fast she walked, it never seemed to get any closer. Hours went by and still the mountain looked the same size and distance as before.
How could this be, thought the girl. I am walking as fast as I can. She found a bench a sat down for a break. Home seemed as far away as the mountain now and the girl began to get disheartened.
A man approached the bench and sat next to the girl. He did not look at the girl but he asked, “where are you going”?
The girl responded, “I am trying to reach the mountain, but it’s taking a lot longer than I thought”.
"Ah, yes indeed, that mountain is a long way off", said the man. "Keeping your eyes on it means your perception cannot change, you cannot notice the distance you have travelled, or the change in how close you are when you keep your eyes on it. This means it will make you feel like your not getting closer. You also cannot see every obstacle that you must go around and how steep the hills are that you must climb".
"But how then shall I get to the mountain"? Asked the girl.
"So long as you are going in the right direction, you will eventually hit the target, that is inevitable". Replied the man. "However your motivation may fade and your journey wasted if your always focused on the end result. You may find you have not learned anything along the way, that being, if you do not give up first".
Such basic story's can help you use your imagination and understand a concept more clearly than any technical writing. Just keep your head down, focus on the next step, the next section, and enjoy the view and company as you go. Every time you reach your next target, look up at the big mountain, and make sure you are still going in the right direction. Even if you are off track to the left or right, you will only need to re position yourself and continue towards your next target that lies closer to the mountain.
5. Gain social pressure and accountability support.
Social pressure is not for everyone, however most people will find that they can start a course or a new hobbies and so long as no one knows about it, it is likely to fall behind. Usually for good. Sometimes self motivation is not enough for people.
Simple ideas to gain such pressure are as follows. Place money in jar and give it to a friend, at the end of the goal period, you can have the money returned or use it for a celebration otherwise it will be taken to a charity or your friend keeps it.
(Of course, I'm sure that is not an issue for most people, but make it as much money as you can to cause pressure).
Join a group and keep your progress updates, share with family and friends who are reliable to keep you accountable, or sign up with a coach or trainer in the area of expertise who will help you get to your goal and keep you accountable to what you say.
6. Keep away from the 'HYPE'.
You know the type, those friends who get drunk and decide they'll stop drinking, or the group of people who rely on each other to be at the gym every morning as it’s this year that you'll lose the weight.
There is a very important place for group support, however not with a personal goal foundation. Support groups must be used as a tool to help you, not the reason for your goal. If you join others in their goals you are most likely to waste your time and your money (depending on the goal of course).
Make sure to say to the people who you turn down, “Sure I’d love to, however I am working towards ‘X’ this month and all my efforts are going into that”. “I'll support you all as best I can but I really want to achieve X”.
This way your not going to be socially excluded and you will also be affirming your own goal to yourself.
7. Submerge yourself into your new lifestyle.
Make everything about your new goal. Surround yourself in to it. It takes people years to learn just the basics of a new language in an English speaking school, yet those who move abroad and learn the language of their new home can do so in as little as a year to higher standards due to the immersion around so many scenarios where you are forced to speak the second language.
Get yourself around as many people and activities that will cause you to keep on track towards your goals. Hanging around with the locals at the pub isn't exactly the right environment to quit drinking…. Be smart about who you spend your time with, this way, your new lifestyle will become your reality.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to start your journey and keep up to date with tips, blogs and other motivational material.
Happy New Year everyone!
Good luck on your new journey to an improved you. I wish you all health and success in 2018 and beyond.
For any help towards your development, please drop me any questions on social media or contact me directly.
Please share this post so others can experience the success of a new goal or resolution this coming year!
No Excuses - Optimise Yourself
Human Phenomena is a business focused on Personal Coaching / Personal Training for Health, Fitness and Mindset. Creating your optimal lifestyle and helping you through a personal development journey.
