New Year’s Eve is a time to reflect on the past and more importantly, look to the future. At the beginning of every New Year, we commit ourselves to make changes to improve our lives. As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, it is important to start thinking about these future goals. However, once you have your resolutions set, the biggest challenge is yet to come because you have to work to achieve it.
Some tips to achieving your goal:
- Make your goal realistic.
Before you set your resolution, truly take the time to think about it. Is it a goal you’ve set in the past? If so, where was the downfall and what were the obstacles? Also make sure you set goals desirable for your own ambition. Don’t look to others to set your resolution. Stick to what you truly want and focus on it.
- Research your goal.
Find information about the process, methods and timeline used by those who were successful at achieving a similar goal. Keep an open mind to all the different options and be aware of the actual time it took to get there. Research will also create a strong commitment to your goal, which is vital to success as you progress towards your goal.
- Track your progress.
We often look at the journey to achieving a goal as a beginning (setting the goal) and an end (achieving the goal), however, there’s a long way in between that deserves acknowledgment. Many times, it’s more about the journey than reaching the destination. Keep a journal and write down the small steps you’ve taken along the way as a reminder of your progress. This can also stand as motivation when you’re about ready to give up. It can also help you learn from your journey for future goal endeavors.
As you prepare for 2012, remember to utilize the tips by setting realistic goals, researching and tracking your progress. Before you know it, you will be reflecting on another year that flew by, celebrating your successes and planning a new journey towards improvement.
