01/09/2024
Happy New Year! I hope it's off to a healthy and productive start for you. Have you given any intentional thought to what you want to accomplish this year? What do you want to be different from last year (or maybe the past decade!)? Not too surprisingly, recent studies show that 80% of our New Year's resolutions get abandoned by mid-February! We start out on January 1 motivated and excited about landing that job promotion, losing the extra holiday weight, reconnecting with old friends or starting a new business venture. Over the next seven weeks we start to lose enthusiasm, momentum and eventually give up on our ambitions altogether.
Why do we break our resolutions and quit our goals so quickly? If they are a priority to us, why don't we see them through? And more importantly, how do we set intentional, meaningful goals that we can and will accomplish this year?
Here are my TOP 5 reasons why we give up on our goals:
#5 They are not specific enough
“Lose weight”
“Exercise more”
“Get a new job”
These goals are unsustainable because they are not specific or measurable. Goals must be specific and measurable to be achievable. So instead of "lose weight" try "lose 10 pounds by March 1" or "Improve BMI (Body Mass Index) to 24 by March 31."
#4 We don’t frame them in a positive light
“Don't eat carbs!”
“Get off of TikTok!”
"Stop the binge watching!"
Reprimanding yourself to “not do this” or “stop that” can lead to a cycle of negativity in the brain. It has you focused and fixated on the negative thing you are trying not to do. That can be really discouraging! So instead, reframe the goal to reflect something positive like “Drink a superfood smoothie for lunch” or "Read a few pages of that book every day."
#3 We don't see immediate results
I have to thank my inspirational Pastor, Nate Marriner, for this one! Often we want and expect change to happen overnight. We start working out for a week and don't see any results so we give up. But transformation requires time, effort and dedication. It takes an average of 66 days to create a new habit! Give yourself grace and time to start seeing results.
#2 Misalignment with our core values
Take some time to think through and get clear on your core values. What matters most to you in life? Some examples include faith, family, achievement, or balance. Once you are aware of your core values, make sure your goals align with them. If there is misalignment, you could get easily discouraged or unmotivated when it comes to pursuing your goals.
#1 Lack of accountability!
Do you have a coach, trusted friend, mentor or even a small community of people holding you accountable to your goals? You'll be more effective at pursuing and achieving your goals when you have someone you’re giving an account to and someone encouraging you to reach them!
I'll add one more point to consider. Sometimes we can have too many goals on our list and end up frustrated and overwhelmed. If you have too many goals, you might want to consider scaling back and just focusing on 3-4 big priority goals. Did you have a goal last year that you didn't accomplish? In all honesty, it probably wasn't that important to you. Often times we can think a goal is significant but, if we dig deeper, it really doesn't serve us. Give yourself permission to let go of the goals that don't add value to your life or align with your core values.
So keep pressing onward and don't give up this year! If you have any questions or comments around goal setting or getting unstuck, please reply to this email. As always, I offer a FREE discovery session to anyone seeking to get clear on their goals and see lasting change in the New Year!
Wishing you all the best for a healthy and blessed 2024!
