We are now midway through December which means the new year is around the corner. And what do we typically do for the new year? No, I’m not talking about partying until the clock counts down to midnight. I’m talking about our New Year’s Resolutions. We also know that we tend to give up early in the year. Believe it or not, there is an official Quitter’s Day. It is typically the second Friday of January. For 2024 it is January 12th. What evidence do we have that supports this speculation? First and foremost, look at the attendance level of any gym. On January 1st the gym is always brimming with people who are 100% committed to getting healthy and losing weight. After a couple of weeks, the attendance drops drastically. It’s true with saving money, getting organized, limiting social media, getting back into a hobby, etc.
So, why do we have so much trouble staying true to our goals? There are numerous reasons. The first is the goal itself. The second is the process of getting there. I’m going to show you the mistakes most people make when it comes to setting your goals and what to do instead.
It must be understood that going all out, gung-ho, no holds barred tactic is a great way to set yourself up for failure. It gets overwhelming quickly and quitting seems to be the only option. According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results, the trick is not to start full blast headfirst. Your head will simply hit the figurative wall. He recommends making small changes at a time. They are easier to handle and much more likely to complete.
Clear gives the example of a bicycle team who competed in the Tour de France and lost repeatedly. Regardless of how hard they worked out or strategized they simply could not win. At some point, the decision to make small changes would be the way to go. They made tiny alterations to their workout routine. They adjusted their bicycles to make them lighter weight. It was a long process to build a successful plan. But, wouldn’t you know it, these tiny changes gave them the win. Several years in a row in fact. Knowing this, it is time to look at our goals and plan things out so that we can achieve what we want and kick ass while we’re doing it. The first part is the goal itself. I’m going to share with you the SMART method. (Yes, that is an acronym.)
Let’s say you want to get healthy. Great! Now let’s use the SMART method to get to the nitty gritty of your overall goal.
S: Be Specific
Instead of: I want to lose weight.
Do this: I want to lose 20 lbs.
M: Make it Measurable.
Obviously looking at the scale makes it easy to keep track of how well you are doing. To stay consistent, weigh yourself every morning before breakfast. And don’t let a setback discourage you from keeping your goal.
A: Is it Achievable?
Losing 20 pounds? Of course, it’s achievable! You got this!
R: Is it Relevant to your overall goal?
If losing 20 pounds is relevant to your overall goal, then yes. This is simply one aspect of your overall goal. Focus on that and you’ll be more likely to achieve it.
T: Is it Time-Bound?
Is there is specific time when you want to lose said 20 pounds? Perhaps, it’s when bikini season arrives. Maybe you want to elegant persona to shine at your high school reunion. Set a REALISTIC deadline. You’re not going to lose 20 pounds in two weeks. It is feasible to lose those 20 pounds in 3 to 4 months. That’s the healthy way to go and raises the chances of keeping the weight off.
Now that the goal is set it’s time to devise a plan to achieve it. As Clear said, it’s small changes that get the job done.
Let’s say your new year’s resolution is to run a 5K marathon. Great! If you’re typically not a runner I’m pretty sure getting up the following morning and expecting to run a mile is unrealistic at best. Start small. The following is an example plan to give you an idea of how to break down your plan.
Day 1: Walk for 10 minutes.
Day 2: Walk for 12 minutes.
Day 3: Walk for 15 minutes.
Then later:
Week 12: Jog for 15 minutes.
Week 13: Jog for 20 minutes.
And so on.
Of course, go at a pace that is comfortable for you while keeping in mind the exact marathon you’re gunning for. Remember, the goal must be realistic. So, don’t expect to be marathon ready in March when you’ve started in January.
Another trick is to work backwards. You have your deadline. From that date, write down where in your process you want to be. Let’s say you want to save $12,000 by the end of the year. Well, since you’re starting in January it is clear you have 12 months to achieve this goal. Now, let’s break it down even further…
1 Year = 12 months
Which means you need to save $1,000 per month. Next, you need to break each month down to per week. There are 4 weeks per month. So…
$1,000 divided by 4 weeks = $250 per week.
If setting aside $250 per week is not feasible, then it’s time to adjust your goal. If you can only afford $150 per week then you can calculate just how much you will be able to save by the end of the year. So…
Multiply $150 by 52 weeks per year.
By the end of the year, you will have savings of $7,800.
It won’t be $12,000 but you also won’t be disappointed that you didn’t reach your goal. At least with the adjusted goal you have something challenging and still achievable. This process can be used for any goal you make. But don’t overwhelm yourself with 25 resolutions. Prioritize your list and weed out the resolutions that can wait. Start with one resolution the first week. Then start the second resolution the second week.
So, when the new year comes around, I want to see all my readers prepared for success. The new year means a new you. When you have the right tools a new you will be in your grasp.
Happy New Year and Good luck!
So tell me, what are your new year’s resolutions?
Cultivating Elegance 