Are Your New Years Resolutions SMART?
We all think of or set awesome goals/resolutions for the New Year. 92% of us fail to achieve them. Let's get rid of that mistake. Here are the 3 BIGGEST reasons why you’re not achieving your goals and how to change that failure into a success for 2019.
First, let's define what we are talking about here. What are your goals? Do you have any? Maybe you have them written down in a fancy leather journal you bought 6 years ago and never opened again. Whatever your story is, we have all fallen victim to becoming the 92% of people that set goals, and never achieve them. There are 3 big reasons that are keeping you from becoming the top 8% and here is how you can change that for 2019.
You’re focusing on the outcome & not the process.
Most people only set outcome goals, and quickly give up after not seeing the changes quick enough. For example, let’s say you set the goal to lose 15 lbs. in 3 months – it’ s measured by how much weight you lose (the outcome). Now, every week on the scale that the numbers don’t drop fast enough, you feel like you’re failing. This is typically not motivating and soon you have stopped moving towards your goal from lack of results (outcome).
Here’s what you do - set process goals that you can stick to and feel accomplished each time you do them. Ask yourself what it takes to lose 15 lbs. If it’s to attend the gym four days a week, then set that as your goal. Then, at the end of each week you can check off your goal and feel that moment of satisfaction. This feeling of accomplishment will be more likely to keep you motivated and still stepping in the right direction. If you are unsure how to lose that weight, find a professional that can help (we might know a few).
2. You’re not setting goals you’re excited about.
This seems like an obvious one, but it’s one of the biggest mistakes people make. Did you decide to go on a 30-day juice cleanse because Kim Kardashian did it? Or are you setting a goal of 30-minutes of exercise per day because you want to play with your kids outside without running out of breath? If you don’t have a passion or desire to change, then you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Here’s what you do - carve out 20 minutes of alone time for a brainstorming activity. Ask yourself the tough questions i.e.; how you envision the person you’re striving to become, what goals would get you closer to becoming that person, what areas of your life need the most attention/work, etc. Again, if you are struggling with this, find a coach to help you!
3. You didn’t define the sacrifice.
I know, it’s not what we want to hear. In order to achieve any goal, there must be at least one sacrifice along with it (think of our gain one, lose one posts from Jackie). It can’t be giving up something easy, like the hour a night spent reading that boring book you told a friend you’d read - it has to be something challenging.
Here’s what you do - Think of the goal of attending the gym four days per week. Write it down, and then think about what needs to happen in order to stick to this goal. Ask yourself why haven’t you been doing it before? Maybe it’s because you only have time in the mornings, but find yourself hitting the snooze and shutting off your alarm. Maybe your body needs more sleep, and your sacrifice is to give up that 1 hour of watching Shameless before bed, so that you can get an extra hour of Z’s.
To sum this up, if you want to be a warrior in setting and achieving your goals this year, keep in mind these tips for creating the right goals to give yourself a better chance at become the 8%. January is around the corner and if you workout at Coachman Training Systems, start thinking of your goals that you write on the whiteboard and dramatically circle at the end of the month. Remember, becoming a better person is a process, start by making goals you can achieve each day!
