This post is the first in a series with ideas to help you start your new year strong, and with a renewed sense of purpose and motivation besides the traditional “new year resolution.” I hope you’ll find the thing that works best for you. Read part 2 here.
I love that new year feeling – there’s an energy that comes with it that gets me all excited about the possibilities that can come from a fresh start.
It’s the norm to set a new year resolution – the thing you’re going to do differently this year. And it’s also the norm for that new year resolution to fall by the wayside before February.
Maybe you set one for yourself, maybe you don’t… the amazing thing is we still talk about these things as a given even though we know 80 percent of new year resolutions fail. 80 percent! And the same study showed that most do so by mid-February.
I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t know here…
Though this part may be… The No. 1 reason they fail is they’re missing one key element…
The No. 1 reason most new year resolutions fail is their missing one key element: HOW.
If you don’t know how you’re going to do something… “get healthy”… “lose weight”… “eat better”… “workout more” “enjoy life”… then how they heck are you gonna do it.
The problem with most new year resolutions is they’re really more of a wish or a desired outcome than a goal. They’re missing the details…
So, if you have your new year’s resolution (or not), take it a few steps further and answer these questions:
- What is the action I’m going to take daily to get me closer to this desired outcome?
- What can I replace in my daily routine that will help me get closer to this desired outcome?
- What systems can I build into my routine that will help me get closer to this desired outcome?
- How will I know when I’ve completed the action?
- How will I know when I’ve reached this desired outcome?
- What milestones will there be along the way and how can I celebrate them?
- How will I feel when I reach this desired outcome?
Answers these questions and now you’ve got something you can DO.
When you do this it puts you into ACTION and gives you a clear path to reach your desired goal.
From there it’s a matter of doing it.
And the secret there is making whatever it is for you a habit.
Habits work because when you do them long enough (66 days to be exact) they become automatic, unconscious. They don’t require a choice and so you can conserve your precious willpower.
I’ll give you an example. For years I’ve started my day with a cup of hot lemon water. I wake up and I automatically go to the tea kettle, turn it on and prep my cup. I don’t even think about it, and before I know it, this refreshing bev is in my hands.
This is where change happens.
It happens through the small things – the choices we make daily – the HABITS we build that create the consistency required to reach a goal.
Habits. Systems. This is where it’s at.
With these, the goal part is optional.
All you need to know is what you want, then work backward from there and ask yourself, “what do I need to DO to get there?”
Side note: This is exactly where I start with all of my the clients I work with to help them take charge of their health and feel better than they ever thought possible. We dive even deeper into the mental prep, planning and strategizing to set you up for unquestionable success. It’s work that is beyond worth it and I see it pay off every single time.
If you want to set yourself up for this kind of inevitable success, schedule a free strategy session with me and we’ll get you started in the right direction.
OK. Systems. Habits. Go.
You’ve got this.
Next week I’ll be back with with another powerful thing you can set at the beginning of the year that’s not a resolution. Stay tuned…
I’d love to know…
What habits or systems are you going to put in place? Or what are you going to replace in your current habits/systems to get you closer to your goal/desired outcome? Share with us in the comments will you.
BTW, when you write this kind of stuff down, a sort of magic happens. You’re telling your unconscious mind “hey, this is important.” And it sticks much stronger than when we jus think these things to ourselves. If there’s something you really want to make happen this year, write it in a comment down below. And, as one study proved, you’ll be 42 percent more likely to make it happen.
