It’s a new year, and you have decided to commit to that long-standing goal you’ve been putting off. How do you start? Whether you’ve decided to live a healthier lifestyle, make a positive change, or master a skill, we’ve got you covered with five tips on how to achieve your New Year’s resolutions:
- Picture success. Visualizing your desired results can motivate you and reinforce your commitment to completing the tasks. This also allows you to focus on the outcome. Start by making a vision board with pictures of your desired results, or list the steps to determine what you need to do to accomplish your goal.
- Have a goal buddy. When you have the support of someone who has similar goals, you increase your chances of success. According to “SuperBetter” author Jane McGonigal, Ph.D., “Having at least two strong social relationships dramatically increases positive health outcomes and helps us succeed in our goals.” If you can’t convince your friends and family to join in your endeavors, seek their advice or assistance in another way, which can be just as motivating!
- Be realistic. When setting your goals, consider how much work is required to attain them and what resources are available. If your resolution is to run a marathon and you haven’t properly trained for it, you are setting yourself up for failure. Lay out realistic steps for a better chance of success.
- Start small. Tackling your goal can seem like a daunting task at first, so it’s best to start with smaller steps and work toward bigger ones. For example, say your goal is to lose 25 pounds. If you focus on that big number, it could feel like a long time before you see progress. Instead, set smaller interim goals such as eating three healthy meals per day or losing 2-3 pounds per week. Those small steps will help you work toward your big goal while giving you achievable daily and weekly benchmarks.
- Keep track. Set up a manageable timeline to allow you to evaluate your progress and give yourself a sense of accomplishment. Plan a reasonable time frame for your goals using a planner, journal, or other tracking tool. Your goals can be short-term, medium-term, and long-term.
One example of a short-term goal would be applying for a set number of jobs each day. The first three steps are making a list of companies, creating cover letters, and applying for two of them each day.
An example of a medium-term goal would be deciding to learn to speak a new language a few months before traveling to another country.
A long-term goal would be saving money each month for a graduate degree over the course of five years. Using dates for task deadlines will prevent you from getting off track and help manage your progress.