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your desired outcome? How will you know when you’ve accomplished it? Using the example of wanting more energy on a daily basis – the specific, measurable action item is to get at least 7 hours of sleep at least 5 days a week. It will be easy to tell if you are accomplishing this goal – if 2 weeks pass and you’re averaging 5-6 hours of sleep, or you haven’t exercised at all, something needs to be adjusted, which brings me to...
3. Track your progress.
Creating and writing your goals is the first step; but reviewing them is what will keep you on track. Schedule time each week, maybe Sunday evening as you are getting ready for the week ahead, to review your goals and the action items. Have you been doingwhatyousaidyouwould? Ifnot,whynot?What adjustments can you make? Tracking your progress helps you keep motivated, and, well, on track.
4. Make yourself accountable.
By the time March rolls in, will you still be working toward your goals? The reality is many of us would have given up on some of our targets. It helps to have an accountability partner to prod you when you feel like giving up or when you’re not taking any action. But you need to be selective in whom you choose. Your accountability buddy should be someone who is committed to
helping you improve, whose opinion you value and who can help keep you motivated in a way that does not criticize you.
5. Set goals based on how you want to feel – not on what you want to have. This might be the most important step, what do the outcomes
you are working towards mean to you? I find that when there’s an emotional connection between me and my goal, I have a higher chance of achieving it. Let’s go back to our goal of increased energy and vitality. How would your life change if you were able to approach and end each day full of energy and vigour? Would you be more productive at work? Would you have more energy to play with your children at the end of the day? Would you be more able to be fully invested in the other areas of your life if your body and mind are healthy and alert? It’s easier to be committed to accomplishing a goal when you can visualize how you would feel when you accomplish it.
There’s a saying that if you don’t know where you want to go then any road will take you there. 2017 can be just another year or you could make a decision that it will be a GREAT year! If you haven’t set your goals yet I encourage you to start thinking about them and writing them down. How will you be different at the end of 2017?
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