As we begin to approach the Spring season, we reflect on our New Year's resolutions and our personal goals for the 2023 year. That being said, there are most likely several goals sitting in the back of your mind that you had set out to achieve at the beginning of the new year when it felt like you had forever. However, do not worry! It can be quite difficult to set aside time for goals that may not be your #1 priority. Below I have shared 3 tips that will be a game changer in helping you attain the goals that you wish to achieve.

TIP #1 MAKE YOUR GOALS MEASURABLE

Surprisingly, many people set goals without having an exact measure to determine when their goal is accomplished or not. For example, at the beginning of the year you always hear everyone saying they plan to go to the gym more. But what does more mean? Does that mean going 3 times a week as opposed to none? Being specific with the goal that you want to accomplish helps you stay accountable and on track.

TIP #2 SET CHECKPOINTS TO REACH ALONG THE WAY

Sometimes the goal you want to reach can seem far from reach. Setting checkpoints for yourself can make the process feel faster and more progressive. For example, if your goal is to learn how to cook 4 new healthy recipes within 2 weeks, try breaking it down. Set Mondays and Wednesdays as designated nights to try out your new recipes. This way, you have time to shop on the weekends for the possibly new ingredients needed, as well as more structure to help you along the way!

TIP #3 MARK A DATE TO REACH YOUR GOALS

Procrastination can be our greatest enemy at times. This often hinders us from achieving our goals when we say “Oh I’ll start that later”. In that moment, it is critical to ask yourself what is holding you back from taking those first steps? Take back control and mark a date on your calendar for when you want to begin working towards your goal, and when you want to have accomplished it by. If you desire, you can take it one step further by setting dates for when you want to accomplish any checkpoints to reach your goal too. Setting a date not only helps you stay organized, but also holds you accountable.

Happy Friday! I hope you are feeling refreshed and ready for what’s to come as we make our way through January! The many steps you’ve taken to get to this point should be celebrated. While New Year goals and resolutions seem to motivate significant changes during this time of the year, it should also be a time to consider the numerous healthy decisions and profound progress you’ve made along the way. This progress can sometimes be forgotten when we are attempting to stick to the resolutions.

If you are like me, I usually write a long list of resolutions that is either lost or ignored by February 1st. The pace picks up, and my personal intentions fall by the wayside. This can create additional anxiety or disappointment for falling short. It can be an uphill battle to stick to our goals/resolutions, because they’re typically results driven versus identity and process driven.

In order to obtain the desired outcome, it is incredibly helpful to identify the why behind it (identity) and the simplest steps to get there (process). By writing out in detail the reason behind the goal, we begin to align the ideal vision of ourselves with lasting behavioral change.

For example, instead of setting one goal to meditate for 10 minutes every day and hope to find the time to do so, I first identify what that goal will create in my life- the ability to enjoy the moment - expand awareness and compassion for others -new appreciation for loved ones - a person who lives in abundance instead of scarcity. This one simple goal just became more powerful, and now has a greater affect on my overall identity.

The second phase is the specific process on how to actually implement the goal. If there are no outlined steps or habits to repeat each day, it will be much more difficult to reach the goal. In the book, Atomic Habit by James Clear, he illustrates four main principles for lasting behavior changes:

Make it Obvious

Habit staking: Take a current habit and pair with a new one. If your goal is to exercise each day, pair a 10-minute at-home workout routine with the 10 minutes in the morning you are watching the news.

Environment: Habits are easier to create in new or changed environments. If you want to eat less late at night, spend the last 30 minutes before you go to bed in a space with no screens. The blue light from screens activates ghrelin, the hormone responsible for hunger.

Make it Attractive

Temptation Bundling: Pair something you want to do with a task you need to do. For example, bake cookies (maybe the Nora’s Naturals below) while you listen to a productive podcast or walk on an incline on the treadmill while you watch a great TV show.

Routines: Create some form of happiness that is built in to your daily tasks. For example, if you need to do x # of follow-ups a week, do so while you treat yourself to your favorite latte. The mind starts to associate the task with an enjoyable experience for the senses.

Make it Easy

Repetition: Habits begin to be automatic through repetition. Start with 2 minutes per day of the desired goal. For example, two minutes of deep breathing, writing, exercise, complementing others. Whatever it may be, just two minutes will start to pattern the brain and create new neural pathways. After a week, expand the time.

Automate: Create a daily appointment in your calendar as if it were a meeting. If it is scheduled with an automatic reminder each day, we are much more likely to stick to it.

Make it Satisfying

Tracking: Create a system that rewards your progress. For example, each day give yourself a point for whatever habit you are forming. If you decided to give up sugar, you get a point each day you don’t eat sugar. After 30 points, reward yourself with something you enjoy like a spa treatment.

Partner Up: Share your progress with a partner. Your efforts are valuable and it can be extra motivation when they’re recognized. By partnering up and sharing your daily points, it can create a healthy competition or just simply strong support.

These tips from James Clear, although appearing to be quite simple, have proved to be a significant game changer for my mindset! Each goal that I have set for myself is no longer just a far away target to reach. These goals are now more personal, and each one that I have set for myself is set with intention.

Go ahead and give this strategy a try to see how connecting your goals with your deeper meanings and intentions may allow you to further grow!

How to Achieve Your Goals