Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Did you make a New Year's Resolution?

Are you sticking with it?

January is the time of year that many of us make New Year's resolutions.
Statistics show that by the end of January, at least half have abandoned their resolutions and by the end of March, up to 90% have given up.

It really does not have to be this way.

Before we can make any changes in our lives, we have to accept that we and we alone are responsible for our lives.

If we are responsible for something we don't like in our lives, then we have to respond. We have the ability to change how we respond to it and we certainly can can choose to do something differently.

Key's to your Success:
#1 Be committed.

The biggest key for achieving our goals is that we have to be committed! Write down all the reasons why or what you want to change. What is happening or not happening in your life that you don't like, because of this challenge?
Imagine and write down all the ways your life will improve as you start achieving your goal.
There’s no need to set goals that don’t make you stretch. You want to be proud of yourself at the end of the year–and how can you really be that if you just did what you already knew you could do?

It is very important to have what you want clear in your mind. A great way to go about this is to write down what you are getting by doing whatever it is you want to change. To set goals you need to know what you want–and deep down we all do. Think about it–you don’t have to ask a child what twice what they want. This is one of the most important steps you can take.

There are always pay-offs for the things we do, even negative things, or we would not do them.
If you are not committed enough to write down the reasons why you are doing or not doing, what you want to change, you will never be committed enough to make the changes needed.

Key's to your Success:
#2 Create a realistic plan.

You need to come up with a realistic plan to help you achieve your goals. Most of us have unrealistic expectations and put too much pressure on ourselves. Basically we set ourselves up for failure.
If you don't stand up for what you need, then you are allowing circumstances to dictate what your life is going to be like. There is always a way, if you are committed enough!
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.

Key's to your Success:
#3 Be prepared for setbacks.

You have to be prepared for setbacks and when they happen, consider them a learning experience rather than an excuse to forget or dump your goal. Don't think of these hick-ups as complete failures, don't dwell on them and don't let them give up your goals. Just get back on that track of yours to reach your objective. ( It was only a hick-up).
After a set back, examine what was going on in your life to cause you to lose focus and plan ahead what you will do the next time you are put in a similar situation.
We fail to take responsibility for the fact that how we process an event is what leads us down the path to feeling angry and upset. How we process the event is the cause. We need to learn how to process information differently, in a more positive light.


Key's to your Success:
#4 keep track of your progress.

Reaching goals will usually takes time and often we don't see results as fast as we would like to see them. Unless you have a way of tracking your progress, you won't know if you are actually accomplishing your goal.
This is where a lot of people get discouraged and quit.
Tracking, either through charts, graphs or keeping a written record will show you at a glance, if anything is happening. What are going to do today to make tomorrow better?

Remember, you make your own luck!





1 comment:

  1. It is so important to plan for your success. If you don't have a plan, it won't happen. I completed my 2009 plan by breaking it down by month. It doesn't seem so overwhelming that way.

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