Statistics show that more than 50% of the world’s population make New Year’s resolutions, but in the first few months of the new year itself, those resolution are very likely to become just wishful thinking, due to lack of motivation and self-discipline to let go of the old habits and keep on putting in the hard work.
Here are five tips to help you to stick to your New Year’s resolutions and crush your goals in 2017:
1. Review The Year That Is Behind You
Before setting the goals for the up coming year, take some time to review the year behind. What were your greatest achievements this year? What are the things you accomplished? In what way did you improve or became a better version of yourself? What were your happiest moments? In what way did you improve the quality of other people’s lives?
What went wrong this year? What you do think you did not do right? Did you have any goals you did not accomplish and you wanted to? Can you achieve them next year? Or you are willing to let them go if you think they are no longer worthy of pursuing?
Reviewing what you did well and where you are at the moment in your life journey will help you to have better clarity while setting up the goals for the next year. Also, looking at the list of things you achieved in this year will make you feel positive about yourself and motivated to work on your goals in the new year.
2. Set The Goals For 2017
In order to set your goals in the right way, so that they are realistic and achievable, you need to first of all clarify what is it you want to achieve. Let’s say for example if you want to earn more money next year and from January onwards you start earning $10 extra on your current income, would that make you feel like you have accomplished your goal of earning more money? Probably not, right?
So, you need to be specific and set measurable goals, so that you can be clear about what exactly you need to accomplish and evaluate it at the end of next year. What ever you want to achieve, give it a number and a timeframe. For example:
“I will lose 10/20/30 pounds by the end of the 2017.”
“I will go to the gym three times a week for half an hour each week in 2017.”
“I will save $200 each month in 2017 so that I can afford to buy X, invest in X, travel to X in December next year.”
3. Know Your Why
In order to keep up the motivation for working on your goals you need to have strong enough why. Why do you want to achieve that particular goal? What impact in your life would that goal have if you would accomplish it? Would it really make you happy? Why is it so important to you? Does it align with your vision for your life and your professional growth? In what way would it improve the quality of your life and quality of life of the people around you?
Whenever you feel like you lack the motivation or there is too much on your plate and you start thinking of giving up, reading and remembering your “why” will help you get going and it will push you forward.
4. Make Your Goals A Priority In The Next Year
In order to make your goals actually happen, you need to make your goals priority, you should try to make them a “must do” thing in your life. Plan the time each day or each week to work on your goals and make the tasks related to your goals non-negotiable activities.
That means that you will stick to your action plan to make those goals happen and make the time to work on them a “must” even if you need to cut some other things out.
Try saying NO to some plans, hobbies or leisure activities. You could even hire a babysitter or domestic help at home, delegate some duties to other people, reduce time watching TV or hanging out with your friends or colleagues after work. Better still, shut down you social media profiles to save some extra time!
5. Get Someone On Board To Help You
The journey of changing your life and pursuing your dreams can be a difficult path to walk on all by yourself. So, get someone on board to help you.
Hire an expert in a relevant niche as it will help you achieve your goals much faster and more effective, than if you would do it on your own.
If you’ve been through a difficult period, hire a therapist. Start attending some lectures and workshops. Get a mentor in your niche if you want to grow professionally or a business coach. Hire a life coach to help you set short term and long term goals, create an action plan how to achieve them, help you face your fears, bust the excuses and stay motivated. Hire a relationship coach if you are struggling with your love life. Hire a health coach or a fitness instructor to help you get fit and embrace a healthy lifestyle.
Declare your New Year’s resolutions to your friends, family members, and followers on social media profiles. It will help you to stay motivated throughout the next year, because you will feel like you need to hold yourself accountable. Ask your friends and family members or your partner to support you in achieving your goals and dreams the best way that they can (you would do the same for them, right?).
Don’t put your life on hold anymore, do not let another year to pass you by and allow yourself to be in the same place in your life this time next year. Decide that you will rebuild your life and have a fresh start, because life is too precious to waste another year of it feeling stuck, frustrated and like a failure.
