Do you make New Years resolutions?
I gave up on those a few years ago because I usually forgot what I had resolved after a week or so. Instead I set myself some goals that I would like to achieve. Sometimes I achieve them, sometimes I have not …
Over the next few days ( while I am on holidays! ) I will be sitting down to think about what I would like to achieve in 2014. Will you be doing the same?
To make sure that you achieve your goals I have a little checklist that you can use to make sure that you achieve your goals in 2014.
My Top Tips to achieve your goals in 2014
Write them down Be precise about what you want to achieve and by when. Write yourself a letter. Include in this your plan on how you are going to achieve your goals. What are you going to do each day / week / month?
Remind yourself regularly Write them at the front of a journal or diary and look at it each week / month to check if you are on track or if you need to change something up to get you moving closer to your goals. You may need to review your goals half way through the year!
Get a support person on side Who doesn’t need someone to keep themselves honest! This could be your bestie / hubby / PT who is cheering for you while you achieve your goals and will keep you honest and accountable. Someone you can talk to who will understand what you are wanting to do and why. Someone who will be there to kick your butt if you need it and remind you of your goals.
Be realistic If you need to lose 20kgs you aren’t going to do it in 3 months ( in a healthy way ) unless you cut off a limb. If you have never run before you may not be able to run a marathon in just a few months. If you are a mum, work full time ( or various other roles we employ ) you may not be able to spend an hour a day 5 days a week exercising. Being overly ambitious is a great thing to be but you risk disappointment at not being able to stick with or meet your own expectations. Start with something you know you can commit to and build from there. Which leads into the next tip …
Break them down into smaller goals Decide on your bigger goals and then break them down into 3 monthly, monthly and even weekly goals. Make sure you can tick your efforts off that list! Baby steps, don’t go for the big goal in the first month!
Accept a setback Things will not always work to your plan. There will be that time when you get stuck at work, the kids are sick and there are no baby sitters, you get sick, there’s a social event and you eat too much .. the list goes on. Life will always get in the way of your goals. This is OK. Learn how to accept these set backs and learn from them .. what can you do differently next time?
You must be in control They are your goals so don’t rely on someone else’s input to achieve them! Yes you have a support person, but they are just that .. support. You cannot rely on them to eat clean for you or drag your backside out of bed even when you don’t feel like it! Nor are they going to finish the marathon for you!
Talk positively about your goals and what you are going to achieve Maybe this should be number 1 or maybe this really should be the last one so that you remember it! Always talk about your goals in a positive way. Quit with the negative talk, it’s not going to get you what you want.
Do something every day towards your goals Even if it is something little, do something every day. The little efforts add up at the end!
What plans do you have in place to achieve your goals for 2014?
