The second and third weeks of January are the truth tellers for whether we'll be achieving those ever so popular New Year's resolutions. Does this sound familiar? Are you sleeping in instead of hitting the gym, throwing out the patch for a pack of cigarettes, and telling yourself next year will be a much better time to get started? Perhaps you're using the classic deflection technique and saying: "Those goals weren't that important to me anyway."
Why not resolve to break the cycle of failure this year and make 2011 your best ever. After 13 years of coaching people to live their dreams at ChoiceCenter, we've got "6 No Fail Tips for Achieving Your New Year’s Resolutions?” to share with you today.
And in case you don't read this entire blog, we'll mention the big secret upfront – the biggest mistake people make is failing to create a structured accountability system to stay on track. This simple step can mean the difference between creating the life you want and living in a perpetual ‘Groundhog Day’ of missed marks.
If you're ready to break the cycle and achieve your 2011 dreams, here's so sure-fire support:
Step 1: Visualize your Goal as if It’s Already Happened.
Most resolutions fail because they are trendy and fun, and people never connect them to the bigger picture vision for their life. For example, in order to get serious about losing weight and producing results, you first need to connect to what’s truly at stake with your goal. This happens when you clearly define the benefits a healthy lifestyle will bring to your quality of life. This might involve envisioning more years with your children and loved ones, less pain from back and body aches, greater mobility, or increased stamina during intimacy. Close your eyes and see yourself at your ideal weight, playing soccer with your kids, feeling confident in the bedroom, or living pain-free.
Step 2: Make a List of Action Steps to Achievement:
Brainstorm all the things that need to happen for you to realize your goal. If you’re opening a new business, write down actions such as: file incorporation papers; create a business plan; make a capital budget; apply for an SBA loan; build a website; lease office space, etc. Be very detailed. No step is too small when creating your roadmap to success.
Step 3: Assign Benchmark Dates to Your Actions:
Once your list is complete, show it to someone who is accomplished in that field. Be sure to choose someone with sustained success – a person who has quit drinking and stayed sober for 10 years, maintained a 50lb. weight loss for 5 years, or kept a business thriving in a challenging economy. Have this expert add actions that are missing, and support you in ranking them into an efficient, weekly “to accomplish” list. Transfer each week’s “to do’s” to your calendar. Set alarms in your phone to remind yourself when deadlines are approaching.
Step 4: Create Small Wins to Celebrate Often:
Most resolutions fail because we give up before we achieve the goal. No one wants to wait 6 months to celebrate elevating their credit score, or saving $2,500 for a vacation. The human psyche thrives on instant gratification, so give it what it’s craving! Celebrate with friends, family, kids and co-workers when you hit your weekly goals. Send out an email, post on your Facebook, write on your blog – “I joined the gym today!” “I scheduled my first date with an on-line match!” “I registered my domain name this afternoon.” Not only will you elevate your confidence in believing you can achieve your goals by sharing your short-term wins, but the feedback and encouragement you receive from others will inspire you to stay focused.
Step 5: Set-up a Reward System for Major Milestones:
In addition to celebrating small wins, create an incentive to look forward to when you hit major milestones. Reward yourself with a new outfit when you lose the first 10lbs. Buy custom running shoes when you complete 3 miles. Host an author’s reading party in your living room when you finish the first chapter of your novel. Creating a calendar of rewards provides incentives to drive your results.
Step 6: Find an Accountability Buddy or Hire a Personal Coach:
Remember the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. This is the tool most people have missed all their lives in keeping their resolutions. They don’t put into place a structured system to hold themselves accountable by creating a buddy or hiring a coach. This is simply the must-not-skip step for success. It’s like buying insurance to guarantee you will not fail.
If you can afford it, your best insurance policy is to hire a professional business or life coach. Just like a world-class athlete, you are hiring someone to challenge you to get outside your comfort zone and have you look deeply at what’s working and not working each week.
If a professional coach is too pricey (Coaches can run anywhere from $50 to $1500 an hour – although what price would you put on achieving your dreams?), create an Accountability Buddy – a friend or co-worker you trust to tell you the truth, not sell out when you’re slacking off, and celebrate your milestones like their own. Set up a weekly checkpoint meeting that you agree not to break. Come prepared with your goals list from the week prior. Celebrate what you accomplished and clear off what kept you from succeeding if you have missed marks. Share your game plan for course correction, if necessary, then declare what you will accomplish the next 7 days. Repeat until your goals are achieved.
Like an athlete, when you hire a life coach they support you in reviewing the game film of how you perform each week. Your coach can see things you can’t, and by suggesting small corrections, can improve your performance, leading you to achieve your resolutions once and for all.
So what action will you go take today to stay on track to achieve your New Year's resolutions? We've got one final tool to support you. We offer an annual free download of ChoiceCenter's 12-Month Review/Preview to coaching clients and Leadership students. For reading this blog all the way to the end ... we're sharing it with you too!
In service,
Corrine and Robyn
