Abandon Your Resolutions for SMART Goals
Most of us start the year off with optimism, resolutions and motivation to make this year different.
Resolve to Decide
Many of us have set resolutions to get organized, lose weight or save money. The trouble is that most people give up on their resolutions before we even get half way through the month of January. In fact researchers dubbed Monday January 16, 2012 as "blue Monday" because so many of us are bummed out from already abandoning our resolutions.
Here's a little secret...resolutions often fail because while we state our intentions, we rarely take the time to devise a plan for getting there. We have a Vision with no action plan.
Abandon Your Resolutions and Make SMART Goals Instead
This year I want to encourage you to abandon your resolutions without guilt and instead make decisions about the goals that really matter to you..
When we make resolutions it's like making a wish list of things you want. When we make SMART goals, we make plans on how we are going to accomplish the things that are important. SMART goals are
| Specific: | Say exactly what you're going to do. (I'm going to lose 10 lbs. vs I'm going to lose weight) |
| Measurable: | Set a date and put a time frame to it (by XX/XX/20XX) |
| Action-Oriented: | Outline the steps that you need to take (By exercising and limiting the amount of carbs vs. being healthier) |
| Realistic: | Ask if your goal is within your reach or means (I can change my habits vs. I can do the same thing and getdifferent results) |
| Timely: | Time allowed is reasonable but not too long (I can lose 10 lbs in 3 months vs. 3 days) |
Read more on SMART Goals in my post Someday is Code for Never Reach Your Goals
Partner Up for Productivity Results
Besides making them SMART the other key to making your goals stick is to declare them to others. I'm a huge believer in having a partner that you work with to reach your goals. Accountability or Success partners can make a difference when you are feeling discouraged or have become distracted. They make it easy to chunk or break down your end goal I to manageable activities that bring you closer to results. Learn more about the benefits of working with an Accountability Partner.
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