So by now, you’ve created all these great goals, motivation is at its peak, and you’re ready to roll. That’s usually the case for the first week, maybe even month or two, but then you hit that slump, what I like to refer to as the New Year Resolution Dump. You start out strong, and then life happens, and we lose sight of all the great things we set out to do in the New Year. But here’s the deal, it doesn’t have to be that way. A goal is so much more than a New Year resolution, it is a strategic life plan. Here’s how to take your goals from resolution status to a long-term plan and stick to it!
Visualize Success
Once you have your goals in place, visualize what your life will be like once you reach that goal. When we consistently see ourselves succeeding, we will naturally take on the behaviors to get there. This isn’t sorcery; it is simply the power of the mind doing its magic or as you may have heard it, “mind over matter.” Take as little as five minutes each day and picture your goals and your success. It will keep you focused and motivated.
The Power of Positivity and a Positive Mindset
Winston Churchill has a great quote, ” The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” This couldn’t be truer. How you talk to yourself and how you choose to interpret life events counts. I believe in this so much that is part of my core values. There is a direct connection between your thoughts and the results you receive for your efforts. We are given a choice every day to perceive the world the way we want to and how we react to it.
Another example of a positive mindset serves as a means to change your identity – your behavioral identity that is. In other words, believe you are the person who you want to be. For example, if your goal is to meditate two mornings a week, think “I am a person who never misses a morning meditation because it makes me feel centered.” When you shift your identity to fit your goals, you not only reaffirm their importance, you are giving yourself the gift of motivation and action by being the person you want to be!
Celebrate Victories
According to Psychology Today,” The brain needs evidence of success if you want your new behavior to become habit.” This is an important piece of information. It is human nature for our brain to protect us from those things that are bad and to reinforce those things that make us feel good. While that may work against us in some cases, for goals it is a tool for sustainability. This is where breaking down goals into small steps comes into play. By breaking down bigger goals into chewable sizes, we are setting ourselves up for several small successes that reinforce our path to the bigger picture. It is also important to document successes, it makes you feel good at the moment and comes in handy when you need a little motivational reinforcement down the road.
Check-In
In my previous blog post, I mentioned creating a mastermind. A mastermind is a group of people who you strategically and intentionally select as accountability partners. I can not stress enough how vital this team is. Meet regularly with your people and talk about where you are – whether good or bad. By verbally reaffirming your goals and talking to other people, you will keep yourself accountable and stay on track.
Forgive & Evaluate
Sometimes life happens, and we fall off the wagon. This is not end-all. Get back on the wagon – evaluate the situation and start where you left off or where it makes the most sense. Check in with your accountability group, talking about it and getting feedback will help you get back on track. And lastly, go back to your list of successes. Remind yourself of how far you’ve come and re-establish your path. The results are worth it and so are you.
The New Year is just around the corner. If you would like to sit down and chat about techniques and habits I use for success, I would love to talk. In the meantime, enjoy the feeling that comes with setting goals and the freedom of creating your success. Living life with intent is an amazing feeling.
Joe
Recent Comments