Ahh yes, the start of the New Year feels like a chance to clean the slate and start again. So many of us set goals for the New Year, but the reality is, most people give up on their New Year goals about 3-4 weeks in. Why is that?
Well, for starters, setting big goals feels scary and sometimes we don’t prepare for all of the emotions, challenges and negative thoughts that could come up.
Goal setting can feel inspiring and terrifying all wrapped into one pretty vision board. And if the goals you’re setting scare you, that’s a good sign. Feeling terrified and excited to work towards your impossible goals means you're making the decision to step out of your comfort zone and achieve something great!
So how can you achieve your goals without getting distracted and losing sight of them throughout the year?
Here are 3 common mistakes that you can avoid to achieve your New Year goals:
1) The goal is just too damn big! And I don’t mean big like dream impossible goals, that’s a great thing, I mean it needs to be broken down into bite size steps to make it measurable and achievable. For example, if you say: “I’m going to launch my business in 2020,” that’s amazing! But how? Break it down, step by step with timelines and dates. That way week by week, day by day you can review what steps you’ve completed towards achieving your goal. Doing this will inspire you to continue taking action AND you can measure your success.
2) Challenges arise and you’re not prepared. Let’s face it, when we are goal setting for the New Year, we aren’t thinking about any potential challenges that could arise because we are feeling excited and ready to take on the year. But if we’re being real, it's likely we will face some challenges along the way, and what separates those who are successful from those who aren’t, are the ones who don’t give up. When a challenge arises, you have two options: throw in the towel and choose to feel defeated OR view the challenge as a lesson, get back up and try again. The key is to prepare by writing out potential challenges that could arise and how you WILL overcome them. Check out my video on 3 challenges that you could face while working on achieving your goals.
3) What’s most important? Now, if you’re like me you list out every goal under the sun. Run a marathon, launch your business, cook healthy meals, learn how to speak a new language, cut out chocolate (whoa…let’s not get too crazy!). But the problem is, that can feel very overwhelming. Try this instead: list your goals and next to them rate them on a scale of 1-10 with level of importance, 10 being most important. Then start focusing on the most important goal first and go down the list. Remember, there is no shame is starting small, if one of your goals is to consistently workout, but you haven’t worked out in over a year, challenge yourself to 15-20-minute sessions 3 times per week.
Here’s the thing, you can achieve anything you set your mind to! All it takes is some preparation, focus, determination AND belief. I know that 2020 can be the year you make your dreams come true.
Bonus: FREE worksheet to list out your goals and break them down into bite size steps. When you write down your goals you are more likely to achieve them. Print this worksheet and get to work! Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year!
