Did you make resolutions this year?
How are you going with them? If you’re like most people, you’re probably struggling to achieve your goals.
Let’s be honest. When you’re half-sloshed with champagne and in the company of friends who are also half-sloshed on champagne, it’s easy to sprout off your resolutions for the New Year.
I’m going to lose weight.
I’m going to quit smoking.
I’m going to get fit.
I’m going to get a better job.
I’m going to save more money.
I’m going to stop drinking (after tonight, I promise!).
Dead dreams
Sound familiar?
While the prospect of a brand-new year in front of you can make you feel you can achieve anything (as can too much alcohol), research shows that only 8 per cent of people actually achieve their goals. By February, more than 80 per cent of people have already given up.
Which begs the question — How can you turn resolutions into reality?
Here are my top tips.
1. Set goals….not resolutions
Quite frankly, resolutions don’t work. But setting goals (and being committed to them) does.
2. Own the goal
Set a goal that means something to you. Don’t resolve to give up caffeine for the year if you really, really love your morning coffee. You need to be excited about your goal, because if you’re not, it will become tiresome very quickly, and you’ll never achieve it.
3. Write it down
Writing down your goals helps you clarify what you really want and makes you more accountable to them. What do you want to achieve and why?
4. Be SMART
The best way to achieve a goal is to take a SMART approach. In short, SMART stands for:
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Specific
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Measurable
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Achievable or Actionable
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Realistic or Relevant and
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Time-specific.
Rather than get bogged down in the detail of SMART goals, I’ve found this groovy YouTube clip for you to look at (or not)….
5. Get committed
You may have set a goal that means something to you, and even written it down in a SMART format. But if you’re not committed to making it happen, it will only ever be a dream. Commit now to achieve your goals!
6. Break it down into smaller goals
Breaking down your goal into bite-sized chunks can make large goals more manageable. For example, if your goal is to write a novel, don’t focus on the total amount of words you need to write. Simply commit to writing a certain number of words at each scheduled writing session. If you do that, the word-count will take care of itself!
7. Visualise, visualise, visualise
Visualising yourself achieving your goal can be very powerful. Picture the long list of clients that you’re now working with. Imagine yourself speaking to that large room of people. The more you visualise the closer you get to your goals. There is a saying — “what the mind believes, the body achieves”, so get visualising and build your belief in your goal.
8. Take action!
It’s been said that a goal is a dream with a deadline, but you’ll never reach it if you don’t take action. What can you do TODAY that will move you closer to your goal?
9. Be accountable
Being held accountable to achieving what you say you’re going to do will really help you achieve. You may wish to find a mentor, a career coach, or just a supportive friend. But knowing someone else is invested in your success will help you forge ahead.
10. Celebrate when you achieve your goals
Celebrating your success is key. When you celebrate what you have achieved, you subconsciously confirm that your goal is a good thing. But don’t wait until the goal is accomplished. Celebrate every little victory along the way, whether it be one day you didn’t eat chocolate, or a week that you walked every day.
So, this year, ditch the resolutions. Set yourself a goal and see what you can achieve.
Wishing you all the very best for a successful and Happy 2018!
Cheers
Nerissa
PS If one of your goals is to grow your business by working with a copywriter, send me a message now so we can get started right away!
