Keeping the New Year’s Goals

Written by Mary Lutz

So, how are those new year’s goals coming? New year’s goals? Oh, yeah, those! Remember those goals you set, oh 20 days ago or so? Yeah, those ones! How are they coming along? If you’re like me and most people, you had these awesome goals set to lose weight, get on a budget, organize your home, increase your sales in your business, start a new business or whatever. Are you working on them, setting smaller goals so you can reach the larger goal? If not, why?

I was thinking about this very thing the other day! I’ve set some goals and I have stuck to some, but not all and I know why and it’s probably the same for you too. I have the knowledge inside my head to reach the goals I’ve set. For instance, one of the goals I set is to eat healthy and lose weight. I know how to eat healthy, I have the knowledge, I’ve read the books, gotten advice from my doctor and so on. And I have worked on it some. But since I have the knowledge, why don’t I just do it? I know it’s good for me, I know my health and life expectancy depend on it, so why don’t I make healthier choices when I eat? I have all these excuses and reasons I could ramble off, but I won’t. The plain truth is, I don’t put forth the work and effort to eat healthy. It takes meal planning and shopping to eat healthy, and some preparation. I simply haven’t planned and prepared in order to reach my goal.

Is that true for you? Take a look at your goals you set January 1. Was one to say get on a budget? Have you started a budget? If not, why? Because it requires change. It requires a change in the way we live. When you are on a budget, you have to plan and figure out where and how you are going to spend your money. You can no longer just pick up and go to the grocery store and spend whatever amount you want. That requires planning a grocery list, clipping coupons, looking in the paper and seeing what’s on sale so you can feed yourself and your family on the amount you set aside in your budget. It requires change.

It’s one thing to have knowledge but it’s an entirely differnt thing to implement that knowledge into action! So, how do we get motivated to apply what we know into what we do? Here are some suggestions that I’ve used that help me:

Make a plan. Sit down and write out a plan for your goal. Whether it’s weight loss, or saving money, write down what you need to do. You have the knowledge in your brain, now write out your plan to do it.
Get an accountability partner. Now don’t go getting your best friend who will go to McDonald’s with you instead of encouraging you to eat the salad you brought for lunch. You need an accountability partner that will help you stick to your plan. It may be a group of people you know on line, but not in person. Personally this works for me and has helped me stick to my weight loss plan. If it’s a money goal, like saving money or getting on a budget, a family member or someone you trust closely can help you with this.
If you fall off the plan, get right back on. Don’t let a set back stop you from reaching your goal. If you slipped and went to McDonald’s and had a big fat hamburger and fries, don’t feel like you’re a complete failure. You are not! Tomorrow get back on track! Just because you ate bad once doesn’t mean you have to continue to eat bad. If your goal is to quit smoking, and you had a cigarette, that doesn’t mean you have to have another one! Get back on track and keep trying! Call that accountability partner or write on your blog how you’re feeling. Figure out what makes you want to eat bad or smoke or spend the money you know you shouldn’t. Then try to recognize it before it gets the better of you.

Setting goals and reaching them is how we stretch and grow. When we don’t have goals, we don’t have anything to work for and become stagnant. With some effort and work, we can stick to our goals! If a goal is worth setting then its worth the work it takes to reach it. So, if you haven’t started working toward those goals you set a few days ago, now is the time! You have the knowledge, now put that knowledge into action!

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