The Perfect Resolution to a New Year’s Resolution
The New Year is HERE! If you’re a planner, you’ve crafted some pretty bold New Year’s resolutions!
If you’re also a doer, you’re busting your butt to lose the weight, you’ve got your new exercise routine and you’re crushing your health goals, and you’re seizing the days by enjoying the hobbies you put off in the years past.
Well, how do you feel?
You should be proud of your amazing strides, so far! Are you tired, yet? Do you feel like you want to quit? Are you resolving to resent those resolutions you dreamed up on December 31?
Are you tired, yet? Do you feel like you want to quit?
If the answer is yes, join 90% of us who fail at delivering on our resolutions. Oh, and we do it fast! We get through 5% of the year successfully, and we’re back to our old habits shortly after 2 weeks!
You can choose not to fail!
So, while we are all here in the room together, let’s hold hands and find a way to break this cycle! We can choose not to fail! Being SMART is my resolution for New Year’s Resolutions!
Be S.M.A.R.T. about it!
Some of us make New Year’s resolutions that are vague. Like, “I’m going to lose weight!” or “I’m going to learn a new language!” or “I’m going to be a better [insert dream you]!” These are not fail-proof resolutions. It’s easy to create a lofty goal, but it’s difficult to see it as realistic and achievable when it’s too lofty! Creating S.M.A.R.T. goals is the way to make a resolution that you can actually achieve.
What does it mean to be S.M.A.R.T.?
Specific — Get specific! How are you going to go after something if you don’t know what you’re looking for? Most of us are not very good at blindfolded archery!
You want to be as crystal clear on your goal as possible! Ask yourself the five “W” questions: Who, What When, Where, Why! For example:
- Who is responsible for accomplishing this goal?
👉🏾 I am! I will do it!
2. What do I want to accomplish? What do I need to do to make it happen?
👉🏾 I want to improve my health & energy! I’m going to lose 5% of my body fat! I will do cardio at least 30 minutes per day for five days and prioritize food’s nutrition over its taste and convenience!
3. When do I want to accomplish this goal?
👉🏾 February 7, 2021! (My birthday, hey!)
4. Where will I do it?
👉🏾 At home, duh! We can’t go anywhere else until this pandemic is over!
5. Why is it important for me to accomplish this?
👉🏾 Toxins are stored in fatty tissues —I want them out! I need the energy to crush more goals and resist COVID-19!
6. (Bonus) Which resources do I have available to me to use to accomplish this goal?
👉🏾 My bike, my husband & workout partner, the beach paths, California sunshine, my legs — there is not enough room on this page to write them all down now, so I’ll spare you!
If there is anything we learned during the pandemic, it is that we have more resources available to us than we realized before! Take inventory of the gifts that are already around you!
Measurable — What metrics will you use to determine if you’ve met this goal? Answering this question takes your goal from a “pipe dream” status to something actionable! Rather than creating a goal of “I will lose weight,” set a goal of “I will lose 10 lbs. in 2 months.”
Achievable — Your goal must be realistic and achievable — it can be difficult, but it shouldn’t be impossible. Ask yourself how you can accomplish the goal and how realistic the goal is!
For example, if you would like to make $1M per year, and you’ve only ever made $10K per year, it may be more realistic for you to make an incremental goal of $50K first! It gives you time to figure out the “how” and take action! Crush that goal, and get excited to make a new one that is closer to the $1M! You’ll still get to the $1M, but reaching that realistic milestone feels amazing!
Relevant — The goal has to matter to you. Is it worth pursuing? Is it the right time to pursue? Is it in line with your values, desires, or needs? If a goal isn’t relevant, then what’s the freaking point? It’s just more stuff for you to do — as if you don’t already have enough on your plate…
Time-bound — Time is of the essence! All goals need a deadline to keep you focused! Those unimportant tasks are lurking, waiting to suck up all your unallocated time! Decide when you will complete your goal so that you will have more authority when you stand up to those time-suckers and say “no!” I have more important things to do!
At the end of the day….
It’s great to desire to better ourselves! But, we can go beyond desire by positioning ourselves for success with goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound! Following the S.M.A.R.T. method allows us to create realistic goals that drive us to get it done in 2021 and reach even larger accomplishments.
Did you create S.M.A.R.T. goals as part of your New Year’s Resolution? There’s still time to fix it, if not! We all should revisit our goals periodically and continue refining them! Do it now!
And once you finish re-defining your goals, you must take action, measure your progress, and repeat. No matter how difficult it gets. Commit to your S.M.A.R.T. goals! You will not fail!
What S.M.A.R.T. goals are you setting for your New Year’s resolution?
