By now the New Year has worn off and so have the resolutions and goals that you made, or not. Some people will manage to keep their goals and resolutions, most will not. According to Ashira Prossack writer for Forbes (2018) “The statistics on how many people actually follow through and accomplish their New Year’s resolutions are rather grim. Studies have shown that less than 25% of people actually stay committed to their resolutions after just 30 days, and only 8% accomplish them.” Actually, there is a good reason for this. First, there is nothing magical about the first of the year and most people are not serious about the resolutions and goals they set.
The first of the year isn’t special when it comes to goals and resolutions. The best time to make a change is when you are ready. It could be the first of the year, it could be St. Patrick’s Day, or it could even be today. The time is right when you are ready. So be honest with yourself. If you are not ready don’t try to push it, you will fail and get disappointed and stall your progress. When you are ready you will know it and sometimes it takes being pretty fed up until you will be ready. People make changes when staying the same becomes too painful.
Another reason people do not follow through with their resolutions and goals that they make the first of the year is that the goals and resolutions are made more out of obligation and tradition rather than a real desire to do the work and make the change. Also when a resolution or goal is made during “the season” there usually isn’t anything to back it up, like a plan. Without a plan, nothing happens.
The first thing to do in order to make your resolutions and goals come true is to get ready. Do your research, figure out how much time it will really take (losing 30 pounds in 30 days isn’t realistic) what it will cost and what you can expect. With the Internet research is at your fingertips so take your time and do your homework. Part of being ready is knowing what you are getting into and having the tools to help you succeed.
Once you have a plan and you are ready, get started. The first thing to do is the first thing. Follow your plan. Maybe you need to join a gym or take a class or go to bed 15 minutes earlier. Whatever you have decided to start with is fine, the important thing is you start.
Keep a journal of your progress monitoring what is going well and what needs to be tweaked. There are no straight lines in nature or goals. There will be detours and sometimes total derailment. However, the best thing to do when you fall off is getting back on.
The first thing to do is decide what you want to go for. Don’t choose something you think you should want to do, make sure it is something you want and will be committed to achieving. Next make your plan. Take the time to create a detailed plan. The more detailed the plan the clearer the path to success will be.
The goal for this week is to select a goal you can commit to and make a plan to reach that goal.
Let’s do this,
Rachelle
P.S.
For support and help to act and reach your goals please feel free to contact me for a 30-minute complimentary session to help you get started on your goal.