It’s that time again. The year is coming to an end and we are reviewing the past months and thinking about what we would like to change in the coming year. What are your New Year’s resolutions? Do more sport? Have more time for the children? Change your job? Eat healthier? Congratulations, because the desire to change something is the first step. However, we all know that good intentions often don’t last. Even if we are incredibly motivated to work on them at the beginning, all too often we forget about them within the first few weeks. What is the reason for this and how can we avoid it?
How to set your goals
It is important that we set realistic goals or break down big goals into smaller ones. If the goal seems unattainable, motivation quickly wanes. A popular method for setting goals is the SMART method:
S=Specific. Write down concrete actions and answer the 5 W-questions: Who, What, Why, Where and Which.
M=Measurable. How many kilos do you want to lose, how many times a week do you want to exercise, how much more money do you want to earn per month?
A=Achievable. The goals should not be completely outlandish. If you currently have 300 EUR in your account, it is unlikely that you will have 1 million in 2 months (unless you have a lucky hand in the lottery).
R=Relevant. It should be something that really moves and motivates you, otherwise it will be difficult to find the necessary motivation.
T=Timebound. Set yourself a time limit. By when do you want to have reached your goal? In three months? In one year? In three years? The longer the time frame, the more sense it makes to set intermediate goals so that you can measure your success in the meantime.
It makes sense not to write your goal in an exuberant mood or under pressure from others. Think about it, sleep on it.
It is also important not to take on too much. Instead of having several goals, you should focus on one. Otherwise, you are more likely to get bogged down and end up not achieving any of your goals.
From intention to action
An article in hellobetter.de talks about the so-called intention-behaviour gap, which means that there is still one step missing between the intention and the actual action. This step is filled by taking a decision. So not only do we have to have the desire to want to change something, but we also have to make a conscious decision to do so.
In addition to goal setting, planning is also extremely important, i.e. we need to transform the goal into concrete actions. The article just mentioned describes that “If…then…” sentences help us to define actions. Then, of course, it is up to us to implement these actions.
Write down your goal in your calendar, on your smartphone, on your computer,… Many people find it helpful to make a “vision board”, a collage around the goal. If you want to be able to afford a house on the beach, you can choose nice pictures that present this dream. You will be much more motivated to work on your goals if you keep them in mind all the time, especially if you have a slump in between.
Be mindful of yourself
To avoid undermining your motivation, don’t be too hard on yourself. If you don’t manage to run the 5 km you have set yourself for one day, it’s not the end of the world. Our habits don’t change from one day to the next. The important thing is not to lose sight of the goal itself.
Reward yourself when you have achieved a partial goal, because praise is important for motivation.
But be careful: Being mindful does not mean to stop making efforts. Don’t try to trick yourself by putting off your goals or tasks every day.
Find allies
This can mean joining forces with people who have a similar goal to yours, or simply telling those around you about your plan and asking for support. For example, if your family knows that you want to eat healthier, they can support you with a healthy menu at the next family gathering. Or you can simply ask them to check in from time to time to see how your goal is coming along. Because as much as we like to cheat ourselves, we don’t cheat others so easily.
Believe in yourself
We often underestimate the power of our thoughts. It is incredibly important that you are positive about your goal. If you are not really convinced of your goal or that you can achieve it, then the self-doubt will gnaw at you, the negative voice in your head will tell you that the goal is much too high, and the motivation will drop to zero. Be positive and it will be much easier to move into the right direction.
I hope you found this post useful and have a clearer idea how to set and achieve your goals. I wish you lots of success in achieving your resolutions! If you would like to share what helps you achieving your goals, I would love to hear so!
