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Blog Post: "RIP New Year Resolutions"

Jan 6, 2020| Categories: Productivity, Goal Setting, Motivation | Back to Blog »

New Year Resolutions?
Try this instead.

“Eat better”
“Work out more”
“Save money”
“Make time for myself”


We all know this time of year...
The time to set new year goals, then never look at them again!

Do GOOD new year’s resolutions even exist? Do they ever work?

Instead of adding to your "goal" graveyard - this year, I encourage you to try something NEW.

New Year, New Goals

Instead of ambiguous yearly resolutions, how about defined monthly goals? Try taking your “resolution” and breaking it down into 3 small, specific goals.

For example, take one of these common new year’s resolutions:

Instead of “Eat better”

  1. Make weekly menu, grocery shop and meal prep every Sunday
  2. Drink 2 cups of water before every meal
  3. No food within 3 hours of bedtime

Instead of “Work out more”

  1. Go to the gym every Mon & Wed
  2. Stretch for 5 minutes every morning
  3. Do 10 push-ups before bed each night

Instead of “Save Money”

  1. Bring lunch to work at least 3 days/week
  2. No impulse buys: wait 24 hours before purchasing anything over $20
  3. $50 weekly budget for entertainment, going out, etc

Instead of “Make time for myself”

  1. Every night, meditate for 10 minutes before bed
  2. Self care ritual every Sunday
  3. Hobby/creative outlet/peace-bringing activity at least once a week

This also works for business goals. Instead of “Get more leads”

  1. Use a free CRM to create a database of all possible clients, and where they are in the sales process.
  2. Track your conversion rate at each step, analyze the data monthly. Where are you losing your prospects?
  3. Identify lead sources with lowest ROI vs highest ROI every month. Cut spending in lowest performers & maximize investment in highest performers.

See how much more tangible the “resolution” becomes, once it’s broken down into goals? Goal setting is MUCH more effective to help you achieve the end result you’re looking for – and the great thing is, it can be done year-round!

The Goals We Set Are The Goals We Get!


Have you ever heard of the SMART goal format?

S.M.A.R.T. goals are...

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time-bound

For instance – if we take the goal “Get in better shape”

That’s not very Specific, is it?

» Adjust goal to “Go to the gym more often”

Now, is it Measurable? How often is “more often”?

» Adjust goal to “Go to the gym 5 times per week”

Is that Attainable? Is it Realistic? That depends on you.
Make sure the goal you set is one you plan to GET!

» Maaaybe adjust goal to “Go to the gym at least 3 times per week”

Lastly… is it Time-bound?
Notice right now, this goal has no deadline.
How will you know you’ve achieved it?

» Look at a calendar, plan out your gym days. Make calendar events! When are you scheduling yourself in?
» Count them up for the month.
» Adjust goal to “Go to the gym at least 14 times in January”

When considering how long to bound your time: short term goals work much better than long term goals. Imagine setting a goal of “Go to the gym 150 times this year”… how difficult would that be to track? Does that goal feel exciting, or daunting?

Don’t try and be a superstar; break your goal down into bite-sized steps that feel actionable & accomplishable.

Now, look at the goal from beginning to end.

“Get in better shape” » “Go to the gym at least 14 times in January”

Notice that the second, SMART goal tells you exactly what to do.
It’s the goal, the plan, and the roadmap all in one. Write your own, break 'em down, and pick a few as your main focus for the month.

Try not to overwhelm yourself. What can you realistically accomplish?

The system is the solution


The last step is to track it… "the system is the solution!"

Your SYSTEM is up to you, but find a SOLUTION that works for you!

Put them in your planner, on a digital board like Trello, as a sticky note on top of your bathroom mirror… the more often you see these goals in a place you frequently view, the better you are setting yourself up for success.

In the past, I struggled with setting “pie in the sky” goals for myself. I would get waves of motivation, and set lofty goals like going to the gym every day or eating ZERO processed food. Then if I missed one day... I felt like a failure, and fell off track completely.

Sometimes I forget when I trained & worked in a Martial Arts Academy, we created BLACK BELTS in 3 years with classes just 2-3 times per week…

It doesn’t take a superhuman amount of effort to achieve greatness, it just takes consistency.

Have you ever heard of Tiny Habits?

It’s a concept I first learned about from a past mentor of mine, Jesse Elder.

Tiny habits are the smallest starting step of a goal you want to accomplish.
I’m talking SMALL.

For instance, if your goal is to start running or jogging...
An example of a "tiny habit": Once you get home from work, instead of putting on your comfy clothes and slippers, put on your running shoes.

Even if you don’t plan to go running, or probably don’t have time…
Just. Put. Them. On.

It may even take a few days for this tiny habit to do anything for you. But one day, when you kick your feet up to turn on the TV, and notice your running shoes…

You’ll think to yourself: “You know what? I’m going to go for a run.”

And you may only make it once around the block. But that is FINE. That is the BEGINNING of a habit. That is you building momentum; you are starting to push the snowball off the side of the hill. Eventually, you’ll find yourself working up stamina… and craving that time spent in “runner’s high”.

But it doesn’t start with a marathon.
It starts with a TINY habit.
It starts by putting your running shoes on.

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Small Changes, Big Shifts

Lasting change isn’t made in giant, 180-degree sweeping transitions. Real change is created from a series of tiny, 1-degree shifts. Slowly, you will change your trajectory and remold your habits into those that align with the best version of yourself.

My main goals for this month aren’t major life changes, they are a series of small habits I’d like to establish into my routine:

  • Drink water with apple cider vinegar daily
  • Read/Watch 1 hour personal development every day
  • Yoga 2-3 times a week
  • Visit the park once a week
  • Host a movie night once a month

What are some of yours? Don't skip the most essential step: writing them down! If you write down your goals, you are MUCH more likely to achieve them.

It doesn’t take a superhuman amount of effort to achieve greatness...  it just takes consistency.

This post was written on January 6, 2020.
See below for more about the author & owner of Rose Consulting Services.

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Sarah Rose, owner of Rose Consulting Services

Sarah Rose

About the Author

Sarah has 10+ years of experience helping businesses & entrepeneurs flourish! After years of success as a Program Director & Marketing Manager, she established "Rose Consulting Services". Her focus is a results based, action oriented approach to solve pain points and help her clients achieve their business & personal goals. Sarah has developed a unique skillset to assist anyone looking to improve work efficiency, build confidence in the workplace, or maximize ROI on business initiatives.

Contact Sarah »
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