In recent years there has been a surge against the tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions, but could this simply be the result of the majority of the population not being able to uphold their self-commitments?
Setting New Year’s resolutions isn’t the only time you can set goals that reflect the person you want to become. However, one of the pitfalls that many face when choosing these goals is treating them as a way to show their lofty ambitions off to friends and family, rather than truly looking inward for goals that align with who they truly want to be. A trick to setting goals you will stick to is asking yourself why you are setting them.
If you are setting the goal to lose 10 pounds for the third year in a row, why? Do you truly want to lose weight? If so, what will make this year different? How will you feel when you achieve this goal? What will it change? Asking yourself these deeper questions can sometimes be difficult. You may find that a goal you’ve repeatedly set but never achieved is not serving you.
You may discover that you don’t want to lose weight but you want to feel more confident in your body. You can then set a goal based on that stronger motivation. Maybe you could find new forms of exercise that make you feel powerful. Perhaps you could do a closet refresh and purchase clothes you feel more confident in. When you find honest motivation, you can set goals that will be easier to uphold.
After setting goals you can commit to, you need to create a game plan that will lay out the specific steps it will take to achieve your goal. As an example, perhaps you want to start a passion project. The first step would be to figure out what specific and measurable things you want to accomplish by the next year. Perhaps by 2021, you hope that you will be making an extra $10,000 from your side hustle. Now, what steps do you have to do to achieve that? Break down these steps into small tasks that you can write into your weekly or daily to-do list.
Once you know the steps it will take to achieve your goal, how do you maintain motivation to follow through? Since your goal is based on your intrinsic rather than external motivations, when you waver in your discipline take a step back and remember why you want to achieve your goal. Envision how you will feel when you accomplish it and embody that feeling. Imagine the impact it will have when you achieve your goal.
Each time you feel a pull away from your goal, ask yourself why. What are you afraid of? What is making you waver, and how can you fix the situation? To truly maintain motivation, you need to ask yourself the uncomfortable questions and push through the temporary hardship while resisting the temptations of immediately rewarding activities (like eating brownies). With these mindset shifts, you can join the four percent of people who keep their resolutions each year.
Sacia Ashe is a dancer, health food lover, and blogger who has a passion for wellness and living a healthy lifestyle. Through sharing recipes, glimpses into her own life, and wellness tips and products, she strives to help others find a life that aligns with their values and health vision. Follow her on instagram @sacias.plate and on youtube at Simply Sacia.
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