1. I want to lose more weight.
2. I want to make more money.
3. I want to quit smoking.
4. I want to get a new job.
5. I want to find a good mate.
Sound familiar? Many people start their New Year’s resolutions with what they “want”. I want this, I want this, I wish that…you fill in the blank. But goal setting and meeting those goals takes more than writing “I want” on a piece of paper. Your goals should be: 1) measurable, 2) specific, and 3) time-focused.
Remember “I want to lose more weight” — what does that mean? What are you willing to give up and how much time do you realistically have to devote to that goal? Do you need someone to help you meet your goal, such as a personal trainer/coach? What type of exercising do you intend to do and for how long? How do you plan to change your diet? There are a lot of factors to consider indeed.
Consider changing your “I want to lose weight” to: I plan to lose x amount of pounds by x date by doing x, y, and z. Did you already try that last year and were unsuccessful? Okay, so what was missing? Was it your motivation – do you need a friend or mentor to hold you accountable? Did you have a mountain of excuses? “I’m too tired”, “I don’t feel like exercising”, “I want to eat whatever I want today!” Resolutions do not have time for excuses — excuses only provide an escape and draw us further from our goals.
Recognize what YOU need to make all of your resolutions come true for 2014.
Best wishes for a healthy, prosperous, and happy 2014!