Lose weight, quit smoking, become debt free, be a better person. These activities must be lots of fun because I know people who work hard to do them every single year!
According to figures I found online roughly half of American’s will make some form of New Year’s resolution this January and, of those, approximately 88% will fail. I kept looking online and found some tips to help us all make better resolutions for 2014.
- Attitude: Start the process of change with a positive and healthy attitude. Make as many of the resolutions “I will” commitments, as opposed to “I will not. . .”
- Be Specific: When thinking about your goal, be exact as possible. People who set specific goals are more likely to succeed. For example, “I will attend yoga twice per week” instead of “I will exercise.” Or, “I will save 20 dollars each paycheck,” rather than “I will save money.”
- Put it in writing. Write down exactly what you want to achieve and post it in a place where you will see it every day. This will help remind you what you are working toward.
- Set realistic goals. When you think about setting goals, make sure they are within your reach. Be mindful of your finances, schedule, and other personal affairs. Many people forget to think about these facts and, as a result, set unrealistic goals for themselves.
- Develop an action plan. Create a timeline with steps toward your goal. Set deadlines for each step and cross them off as you go. Sometimes, just crossing things off and watching your list get smaller can give you a sense of accomplishment and help you keep going.
- Believe in yourself. Stay positive about your progress. Share your goal with a friend or family member and ask them to keep your spirits up.
- Be flexible. Keep in mind that setbacks can happen. Don’t become discouraged and give up. Your hard work will pay off!
- Reward yourself. Acknowledge your achievements, even the small ones. Reaching a goal takes hard work and you should be proud of your efforts.
My challenge to you today is to pick that one personal goal you have been wanting to accomplish for some time now and use this helpful list to make you successful towards that goal. Good luck!
This will be my last post until after Christmas so I would like to wish all of our team members a very Merry Christmas. — Luke
“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” Norman Vincent Peale
Great blog Luke!