What’s the difference between a wish and a goal? Commitment.
New Year’s resolutions are the perfect time to stop wishing for change and resolve to do something about it. Why not? Everyone else is talking about their resolutions. Why not jot down a few good ideas for the New Year?
The only problem with making resolutions ‘just because’ is that your chances of actually sticking to them are pretty low. So instead of talking about what types of resolutions you should make in 2011, we’re going to focus on how to make them stick!
How to Make your New Year’s Resolutions Stick
#1: Set SMART goals – SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Sensitive! Write down your goal(s) on a piece of paper and spell out the letters to SMART in a column and answer each of the questions.
For example, if your goal is to grow your business, then specific is How much?, measurable is What is your criteria?, and time-sensitive means attaching a deadline. Achievable and realistic look at if doubling your sales in 6 weeks is doable.
#2: Commit to the ‘Why’ – Knowing you need to do something often isn’t enough to motivate yourself to doing it (and sticking to it). Place visual reminders of your why to remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing.
Take quitting a bad habit, for example. Chances are you have heard a lot of facts and figures on why it is bad for you, and why other people want you to quit, but until you commit to your own ‘Why’, it won’t stick.
#3: Give yourself every chance for success – Don’t just set the intention and hope that it happens! Take action and actively do things to help improve your chances of success!
Say, for example, your goal is to lose weight by eating healthier and exercising more, then a success plan would be to purge your cupboard of temptations and prepare the night before by setting out running shoes and scheduling a time in your calendar to workout.
#4: Celebrate the small leaps forward – Let’s face it – goals kind of suck. If goals were so much dang fun, you wouldn’t need to read all this stuff about how to set them and stick to them.
No one has to set goals about eating more chocolate or having more fun. Goals and resolutions tend to tackle stuff we find a little more challenging – quitting something, motivating ourselves to do something so you need to reward yourself for a job well done.
#5: Find an accountability partner – None of this Mrs. Nice Accountability Partner business either. Find someone who is willing to kick your ass a bit (or a lot).
If you are seriously committed to achieving your goals for 2011, this is where you partner up, join a support group or hire a coach to hold your feet to the fire.
Now go make 2011 your most rewarding, extraordinary year yet!
11 Comments
Reasonable goals broken down into achievable goals works best. not lose 50 pounds – but lose 5 pounds by X amount of weeks. Taking it one step at a time.
Great post!!!
Yes! I great summary of how to make your resolutions stick. If you want to be ambitious, you can do this with ALL of your important commitments, ALL year long. And if it’s not important enough to make sure it happens using Carla’s guidelines, you probably shouldn’t waste your time doing it.
The beginning of January is a great time of year for looking back at where you’ve been, looking forward to where you want to go and then setting goals. Your post was very informative…I would just like to add that it is also helpful to think about what stands in your way (perceived obstacles) and then break down why they are a challenge and what you can do to break through.
I totally agree! For me #5 seems to be the clincher. And that’s why blogging my journeys and goals works for me!
I agree with Lolli – #5 is key for many people! This is a great post – I think that goals/resolutions/intentions are important and making them attainable is key to success… I need an accountability partner STAT lol
It’s true — everyone needs a little gentle nudge or even someone to hold their feet to the fire to stay honest. We are sometimes both our worst critics and our easiest coaches…”Oh well, make it up tomorrow!”
Absolutely! Motivation and goal setting is so much about the mental game! Thank you for adding that!
Thank you, Jim. I think so!
Using strict criteria is a way to gauge whether we truly consider something important.
Like the Golden Rule of shopping (sorry to go all girlish on you, Jim, but that’s a chance you take when commenting on a mom entrepreneur site), if you try something on and you don’t love it, don’t buy it (even if it’s on sale).
YES! I love using baby steps and short milestones to stay on track! It’s easier to catch yourself straying from a big goal when you are monitoring incremental progress!
The no one has to know is a problem for many resolution breakers. All it takes is one step missed, followed by another and another and suddenly all your resolution momentum is gone!
I think about the times I have taken up running (as a natural hater of running) and whenever I had a partner to hold me to going for our regular runs, I stayed committed and when I didn’t, I would bail at the first sign of bad weather.
Great post Carla! It is so true that people make resolutions but don’t know how to stick to them!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂