Simple Steps to Get to Your Goals

New Year New You! Three weeks into 2021 it feels like the same old, same old doesn't it?

According to research, 80% of people give up on their New Year resolutions by mid February. The third Monday of January is also known as Blue Monday which doesn't help with motivation either. This is when the shine of the New Year wears off and the dark days of winter can really get to you. Especially this year when most of us are back in lockdown. 

What about your goals? Do you toss them to the curb and wait until next year?

Heck to the NO! I'm going to share with you some tips and strategies that I've been using to get myself motivated and back on track. This isn't about forcing yourself or being in denial about how you're feeling. It's always important to acknowledge how you're feeling and where you're at. This is about using some tried and true strategies when you're ready to go after your goals.

Know Your WHY

In order to create new habits and improve on your life you have to know WHY. Without a strong enough WHY you'll quit when the going gets tough. Here's a secret- the going will get tough. That's just the nature of how life works. But if you want to create changes in any part of your life having a strong enough WHY will help. 

Rome Wasn't Built In a Day

Or so the saying goes. Let's say you have a massive goal. You want to run a marathon but you haven't laced up your running shoes since high school. It's important to break down your big sky goal into manageable mini steps. 

Perhaps day one of training you start by simply walking around the block or doing a slow jog depending on your fitness level. Each day you add a little bit to your training regime. If your marathon is a year away you can set mile targets for yourself. For example you want to be able to run 50 miles per week within four months of embarking on your training. Depending on your fitness level this may or may not be a manageable goal.

The main thing though is to understand your starting point, where you want to go and implement a plan to get you to your goal. 

Be Specific With Your Goals/Intentions

Part of the reason why New Year's intentions generally go up in flames is that it's easy to be vague. Some examples are- "I want to lose weight." "I want to get fit." "I want to make more money." On the surface these sound like you're putting it out into the Universe what you want for yourself. However none of these phrases are specific enough.

How can you be more specific? "I want to lose 20 pounds by June for my sister's wedding." There's a deadline and the amount of weight you want to lose. Before you embark on your weight loss journey you also want to write down WHY. Is there someone you want to impress who's going to be at the wedding? Is there a way you're wanting to feel in your body? What is going to motivate you to want to change your eating and exercise habits to reach your goal.

The more specific your goal and the bigger your WHY the more likely you'll do what ti takes to get there.

Visualize to Materialize 

Visualize how you're going to feel when you get to your goal. Think BIG! Let yourself feel the emotions of success and triumph! I do this before I go to bed at night. I close my eyes, do some deep breathing and check in with my body. Then I start to visualize what I want to create in my life. I let the images drop in, I feel the excitement as I drift off to sleep. I'm programming my conscious and subconscious mind towards my goals.

There's so much research on the importance of visualization. Athletes use it all the time, especially when there's a big game on the line. Your brain can't tell the difference between what's real and imagined. Nor can your body. If you get in the habit of priming your mind and body towards your goal, you're increasing your chances of getting there. 

Accountability is QUEEN

Let's face it. Most of us, including me, are big talkers. However when it comes to actual execution most of us are truly lacking. Why? Because no one likes to do things that are challenging. While you may want to make some changes in your life and health there's an element of challenge to anything changes anyone wants to make. 

I can't stress this enough, if you want to truly succeed at your goals, find yourself an accountability partner or coach. Ideally you want to work with an expert or a coach who can guide you to success. In my personal experience I've always gotten to my goals much faster by working with a professional. As much as my friends love me and want more for me, no friend is ever going to push me the way a coach or expert can.

If working with a professional isn't in your budget find someone in your circle who is growth minded and will push you. There are also many online Facebook groups that can act as accountability as well. Whether it's health goals, business goals, or life goals find a way to keep yourself accountable. 

Lastly have compassion for yourself. Anyone who decides to change their life and circumstances is making a brave choice. Most never even try. Sadly so many people live so far below their greatest potential. It's tragic. As you're working towards your highest vision for yourself you may have hiccups. That's okay. Reassess, learn from any mistakes you make and keep going. 

If you're ready to get your health back on track please contact me. I offer a free 30 minute consult to anyone who's looking for more energy, better sleep, weight loss or wanting to reduce stress so they have more enjoyment out of life. 

Until next time, be well. 

Photo by Ivan Torres