Goal Setting Tips
The beginning of a new year is a time where people consider making a change in their lives. Making a New Year's resolution is announcing that you are going to work towards a goal regarding some kind of change in your life. In order to make your resolution produce a real change in your life in the new year, here are some tips on how to reach your goal.
1- Don't set a goal that is impossible to achieve.
Any goal is going to require some effort on your part, but setting a goal that is nearly impossible to do is setting yourself up for failure. Think through your ideas for what you want to improve upon in your life before you set your goal.
2- Give yourself a time-line.
Setting a time in which you will complete your goal helps to keep you on track. If your goal is to quit smoking, having a date that you will be smoke-free will help you as you go along with your smoking cessation program.
3- Write it out.
Putting down your ideas on paper is a way to figure out how you will achieve the goal that you have set for yourself. If your resolution is to budget your finances better, writing a list of what your expenses currently are will help you to figure out ways where you can save money.
4- Use positive affirmations.
Learning how to be your own cheering squad can be helpful when your goal takes staying motivated. If you are on a weight loss plan, you can keep yourself motivated towards your goal by displaying a picture of an outfit that you would like to be able to wear once you have lost the weight. Hang it on your refrigerator to remind yourself in moments of weakness that you are working towards a goal.
5- Keep focused on the prize.
Often the result of a goal is a change for the positive. When your resolution involves breaking a bad habit, it can be a long, hard journey on your way to seeing the results. Keeping yourself motivated to work towards the completion of your efforts takes willpower and strength. You can keep yourself focused on your goal by using daily reminders of what you are working towards.
While you are working towards your goal, you may have moments where you doubt you can be successful. Try to re-evaluate your progress regularly in order to encourage yourself to keep on moving towards your goal. No matter what goal you are working towards, it isn't always going to happen quickly. Notice the small achievements that you make along the way. This can help you to see that you are making progress.
Resolutions often involve changing bad habits. Most bad habits are learned behaviors and in order to reverse the behavior it will take time and practice. Don't be so hard on yourself that you wind up discouraging yourself from trying to reach your intended goal. Having support while you go through a smoking cessation plan, weight loss plan or other lifestyle changes can help you when you are feeling doubtful about your progress. Following through and keeping a New Year's resolution can be difficult but you can be successful when you follow these tips for setting goals.
