The new year is here, and for many people, that means a new set of new year’s resolutions. Resolutions, for most people, get set every year, but only a few people end up following through and turning those resolutions to reality. When so many people set resolutions at the beginning of each year, why do so many people fall short? The problem is that although we have good intentions and are willing to dream, we too often aren’t willing to change our habits. In order to reach personal success, we have to change ingrained habits that require us to go the extra mile even when we don’t feel like it. For example, the most common resolution is to lose weight. But inevitably there comes a day when we don’t feel like running on the treadmill, driving through the snow to the gym after work, or giving up the greasy food we’ve become accustomed to. Here are a few ways you can start following through on your resolutions and reaching your goals in 2018.
Write Your Goals Down
There’s something special about writing your goals down. It makes them real. It makes them tangible. When we don’t write our goals down, it becomes easy to forget about it, or to tell ourselves that we didn’t mean it. Writing your goals down is the first step to accomplishing them. So don’t let your resolutions languish in your head. Write them in a notepad, on your iPhone, on a post it note. Make sure that it is somewhere you can read on a consistent basis.
Start On Them Immediately And Build Good Habits
Don’t put your goals off until Febuary or March. Don’t tell yourself that you will do it later. Start on your goals immediately. For example, if your goal is to become a better leader at work, start the new year by asking your co-workers to be honest with you about what skills you need to work on. Talk to your boss about the same thing. Look up leadership seminars and classes in your area. Set a schedule for attending them and write down notes that you can implement and use when you are on the job.
Hold Yourself Accountable
This is where things get difficult. You might start setting a good habit, but then you don’t hold yourself accountable. Holding yourself accountable means if you say you are going to go to the gym 4 days a week, then you go 4 days a week. You track your progress and make sure that you don’t start slacking off.
Don’t Quit When Things Get Tough
There’s always going to be bumps in the road. Sometimes life is going to throw you a curveball. The most important thing is that you don’t quit. If you want to lose weight, there are going to be days when it feels like you are moving at a snail’s pace. If you want to get a new job, some days will feel like you aren’t going to make it. But by giving up you turn those fears into reality. Have the courage to keep your head up and keep going, and in the end you will reap the rewards.