It’s that time of year! Christmas is over and we are all waiting to step into the New Year. With a new year, means new goals!
Have you ever set a New Year’s resolution before? If so, what was it? Why did it fail?
According to statistics, 80% of all New Year resolutions fail by the second week of February. In 2017, losing weight and becoming healthier was the most popular New Year resolution set in the United States. Unfortunately, only 9.2% of those people felt as if they were successful.
How can you set New Year’s resolutions that you will stick too? First, you must set a goal. But how do you set a sustainable goal? Let me explain two different methods.
Method One: Outcome vs. Process Goals
Goals can be categorized into two separate categories, outcome and process goals. Outcome goals are those that have an end result. Process goals are those in which you must complete a routine process to get to an end result. The tricky thing is, you can’t have one without the other.
Imagine setting a goal to lose 30 pounds but not knowing how to get there. You put it off and put it off and then all of the sudden the year is over and you didn’t shed a single pound. Or you set a goal to go to the gym three times a week, but you don’t know what you want to accomplish. You end up being very consistent the first couple weeks but come February you start going twice a week, then one, and before you know it you find yourself right where you started…not going at all.
So, how do you make those goals work? Turn both goals into one. I am going to lose 30 pounds (outcome) by going to the gym three times a week (process).
Method Two: SMART Goals
SMART goal setting brings structure to setting goals. It helps create verifiable trajectories towards a certain goal.
What does S.M.A.R.T. goals stand for?
S.M.A.R.T. Goal: Specific
What exactly do you want to achieve? The more specific you are the more likely you will be to achieve your goal. Ask yourself what do I want to achieve? Where? How? When? With whom? For example, I want to lose 30 pounds by training with Coach Mike at Phoenix A+ Coaching by July 31st, 2019.
S.M.A.R.T. Goal: Measurable
This means you must identify exactly what it is you want to do. You must have concrete evidence that you can reach your goal. An example of an unmeasurable goal is, “I want to lose weight to feel happy.” Happy is not concrete. A measurable goal is “I want to lose 30 pounds to fit into smaller clothes to feel happier when I look in the mirror.
S.M.A.R.T. Goal: Attainable
Is your goal attainable? Will the time, effort, costs, and sacrifices necessary to reach your goal weigh more than other obligations and priorities in your life? If you don’t have time to go to the gym 3 times a week because you’d rather hang out with your friends, is your goal really attainable?
S.M.A.R.T. Goal: Relevant
Is reaching your goal relevant to you? Do you really want to lose 30 pounds? You are the only one who can determine this. If you lack certain resources, you can look for ways to get them.
S.M.A.R.T. Goal: Timely
Time is money! We all know that deadlines get people moving. So set a tentative schedule for yourself. Make sure it is realistic and flexible to keep your morale high.
Make sure that you make all of your goals POSITIVE. When you focus on not doing something, all you do is think about that thing.
Use one or both of these methods when setting your 2019 New Year’s resolutions and you will be more likely to stick to it! Let’s ring in the New Year with success!