It’s that time of the year again- time to make new year resolutions.
If you are like most people, you’ve made many resolutions and have broken almost as many, usually within days of making them.
Why can’t most people keep them?
You have high desires to create your dream life but most likely haven’t thought out your action plan or had follow-up on your actions. Most have resolutions made out of obligation- I should eat better, lose weight, organize my house, quit smoking, save money, meditate more, get fit, spend more time with my family, etc. Few people are successful with these types of resolutions.
So what can you do to ensure success?
What if you had an action plan that was fueled by how you wanted to feel versus what you should do? Would that increase your level of success? The answer is most likely yes. More people are likely to achieve results when there is a pull (positive emotion) rather than a push (negative emotion) compelling them to take action.
Here are 5 steps that you can do that can help pull you achieve your resolutions:
- CLARIFY THE OUTCOME YOU DESIRE AND SET THE INTENTION- What do you really want to achieve? Do you want to lose weight to look good or to feel good? What is the emotional driver to the end result? Losing weight is one thing, but losing weight to make an ex regret breaking up with you may be a better motivator.
- STRATEGIZE THE STEPS NEEDED- If you want to find a new a job, besides looking on employment sites, what else do you need to do? Is your resume up to date? Do you have references ready to go? Do you have the perfect outfit appropriate for the position you seek? Another way to look at this is to determine what do you need to let go of in order to achieve your intention. If you want to save money, going out to lunch everyday may be counteractive. When strategizing your action steps, be sure to break them down into smaller achievable goals. Losing 100 lbs. is daunting where as a goal of 10 lbs seems much more achievable. You can always increase your goals, but decreasing them has a negative effect. Also, be sure to celebrate the milestones!
- WHAT ADDITIONAL TOOLS DO YOU NEED- If you want to get back into the dating world, do you need to brush up on conversational skills? Or perhaps do you need new clothes? If you are looking for a job, do you need to practice interviewing? Think about what else you need to be your best example.
- HOW CAN YOU OPTIMIZE YOUR ENVIRONMENT- If your goal is to lose weight, having calorie rich for in the house may not be ideal for you while trying to diet. Often, when trying to improve your situation, others may feel threatened and try to sabotage your efforts. Be aware of those who lead you away from your intentions., especially when it comes to losing weight. As a general tip, having gratitude for the space that you are in also helps you to be at peace for where you’re have yet to achieve.
- MASTER YOUR PSYCHOLOGY- Probably the best indicator of success is where or not you believe that you can achieve it or deserve it. Too often there are subconscious beliefs in place that prevent success. Pay attention to the voices in your head and the feelings in your body as you think about your intention. Do you feel excited about your resolution or a sense of dread? Knowing if you are applying the gas or brake pedal to a situation will tell you if subconscious beliefs are in play. Deal with any emotions that keep you stuck otherwise you will find yourself stuck or going around in circles.
If you are willing to look at all pieces of the puzzle and be honest with yourself the degree of your success will increase. Create realistic, achievable goals that you can increase as you are more comfortable with you actions. Enlist the help of others around you. Ask them to gently help you navigate your resolutions. Minimize distracting outside forces that can derail you. Additionally, you may need to enlist the help of an expert/ coach to help you to optimize your goals or master your psychology.
YOU are in control of your ability to be successful. YOU are the master your destiny. And only YOU can create a new pattern, a new outcome or a new story for your life.
What direction will you chose? How successful will you allow yourself to be? Believe in yourself and your ability to transform YOU!