Do you want 2015 to be your best year ever? A year that will transform your life?
Well, it can be. And it’s not just about setting New Year’s Resolutions. We might feel motivated at the time and happy that we’ve done it, but when the new year rolls over, and the business of our lives begins to reassert itself (which it will), for most of us, the good intentions and motivations often fall away as they are pushed aside while other more pressing things get in the way. Then we find ourselves saying – “I’ll get to that after I have done this …” And in all honesty, how often does that happen?
Did you know that the average person makes the same New Year’s Resolutions 10 separate times without success? And that 50% of Australians make New Year’s Resolutions however 88% fail to achieve them?
Why am I sharing this with you? It’s not to discourage you from setting your goals for 2015. On the contrary, it’s exactly the opposite. Set your goals. But have a think how you can do things differently this time to previous years.
So, here are my 5 tips on Goal-Setting:
1. Make it meaningful
Set a goal that is meaningful to you. Something that matters and is of significance. Something that will make your soul shiver with anticipation, your heart sing, and that makes you smile non-stop. Something that you feel you were made to do or is a way to fulfil your life’s purpose.
Because when you set a meaningful goal, this feeling of significance, exhilaration and purpose is what’s going to keep you on track when you feel like you want to quit.
2. Identify your motivator
Identify your motivator for each goal.
To discover this, ask yourself – Why is this goal important or significant to you?
Then drill down even further – What would you gain if you achieved it? What would you lose if you didn’t?
Once again, getting clarity around this will help you keep focused, committed and moving forward even when you feel like it’s all too much and the obstacles seem overwhelming.
3. Make it visible or be accountable
What I mean is that when there is a constant reminder around you of your goal, it can act as a great motivator. For example, for those who are more visual, a vision board works a treat. For some, charting your progress in personal diaries is effective to keep you on track.
Sharing your goals with friends or family is also a way to keep you accountable and losing focus.
4. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals
- Specific – The more specific a goal is, the greater the chance of it being accomplished.
- Measurable – Set clear and tangible criteria for measuring progress and your outcome. By doing so, you stay on track and it gives you the motivation to renew your efforts towards achieving your goal.
- Achievable – The goal must be achievable within the present framework of your life which includes your schedule, workload, current commitments, and knowledge. Break it down into manageable chunk-sized pieces.
- Realistic – Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.
- Timebound – A goal should be grounded within a time frame. Otherwise there is no sense of urgency or forward momentum.
To read more about S.M.A.R.T. goal setting, check out my article called Turning Your New Year’s Resolutions Into A Reality.
5. Take action!
It’s simple but probably the most difficult step in this process!
Nothing will happen if you do nothing. So it’s important to make a plan around how you will achieve your goals and then commit to following through. Again, breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps will make it easier to implement.
Remember, this is the best time of the year to make a change. To put things into place which will allow you to redesign your life around what is most important to you and gives you true meaning and purpose, and therefore happiness and fulfilment.
So here is my final question to you – are you willing to spend just under an hour with me to set yourself up for the best year ever? If you are, then my ‘New Year New You’ offer is just for you. So please get in touch if you would like to connect with me or have any questions.
I hope you found this useful and it has inspired you to get cracking on your all-important goal setting!
I wish you and your family a very Happy Christmas and the Best Ever 2015!
All my best, Mimi
