Come the end of December, the pressure to make a new year's resolutions is on! There's a lot of 'chatter' on how we should turn over a new leaf, make a change for the better and improve ourselves. It's curious, since according to the Statistics Brain Research Institute, only 8% of people are successful in achieving their new year's resolutions. So why set ourselves up for failure? Let's set ourselves up for YEAR-ROUND SUCCESS with these tried and tested tips:
- K.I.S.S. - choose ONE goal at a time i.e. loosing 10 lbs. Taking on several goals can be over-bearing and lessen your likelihood of success
- BREAK the goal down into mini goals; i.e. loosing 1-2 lbs per week over 5 months
- MAKE a game plan that maps out the road to your goal
- REVIEW your goal daily in your ical or diary - this will help keep it at the forefront of your mind
- CELEBRATE reaching each mini goal - this will help to keep you motivated
- SHARE your goal with friends as once you've said it out loud, you'll probably want to avoid the embarrassment of not reaching your goal, which also increases your commitment
- BUDDY-UP! Find a work colleague or friend who has the same goal - leaning on each other can really help you make it through any challenging times. PLUS sharing the success is more sweeter together
- SEEK out a professional if you know you succeed better with guidance and support
- BE STRONG! If you falter, just get back on the horse right away and continue pushing forward to your next mini goal. It's just a set-back - it's NOT a failure it you keep going
Remember - the way to success in reaching any goal is by taking small steps that are doable and not intimidating. This way they become part of your EVERY DAY routine without disrupting your life's rhythm.
BTW, I would wish you good luck, but if you follow these tips, you're not going to need it! :)