We have now officially welcomed 2024 and whilst many of us have said our new year resolutions out loud, statistically not all of us will stick to it. The new year is certainly a great time to reflect on the previous year and make new goals but perhaps labelling these goals as your new year resolution is risky. Instead of feeling the pressure to have your 2024 goals sorted out by the 1st of Jan, we would suggest giving it a little more time. Wait for a time that is right for you and one when you will be completely ready for the change, mentally and physically. This might mean that it is best to get into action once you are back into your daily routine. So if you have already struggled taking the first steps towards your new year goals, take a few steps back and follow these simple tips:
1. Wish or Commit?
Determine if your resolution or goal is a real commitment you are willing to take or simply just a wish. You cannot rely on external forces to make this happen, you must have commitment, accountability and follow a plan. You are responsible for making it happen!
2. Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail.
To achieve anything there needs to be a plan in place. A plan will help you take the right steps towards success. You can have others assist you with your plan if you need help but it should be simple, realistic and purposeful.
3. Accountability is a must.
We all have our moments when our goal seems to become unachievable or getting there just seems too tough. At these times you can risk letting go altogether. You really need to consider how you will hold yourself accountable to carry out your plan. Family and friends can be your cheerleaders, or you can come up with a personal rewards system to keep your goal exciting. A great way to make a large goal more achievable is to break it up into smaller parts. Setting up achievable deadlines throughout the year help you keep track of the progress you are making, which will in turn keep you motivated.
There is nothing more rewarding than achieving something you really want. The more challenging the goal the more rewarding it is to successfully achieve it. As humans we need this in our lives to be happy, satisfied, positive and to keep our motivation strong. You definitely won’t regret the hard work once it gets you to where you want to be. Keep this in mind, have a real purpose to your goal, know why it is important to you and enjoy the journey of working towards it.
