Resolutions - improve your chances of achieving success!

The New Year resolution – is it a fresh start, a new goal, or just a fleeting dream?  We are all guilty, at one time or another, of swinging and missing on our lofty New Year goals. 

 

Running was once a New Year resolution for me, and it's one that I've actually followed through on (we won't discuss the countless ones that I did not!).  Way back then, my goal was to run the Bolder Boulder, a 10k race.  I finished, but the goal itself was not the reason why it worked.  It was the structure - my online training program - that helped make the goal a reality.  Credit the Hal Higdon beginner 10k running program for that helping me achieve that goal!  The races and distances have changed over the years, but making sure that I had the structure in place has always been there.

With that in mind, I asked myself this: why can't I employ the same structure for all of my goals?   If I want to earn more money, then what do I need to do to make that happen?  If I want to spend more time with family and friends, then how do I plan to do that?

 
We have big goals, and we set them for a reason.  It is important to invest time and energy into how we can make those goals achievable.  I have resolved to follow three simple rules:
 

1.      Set goals that are meaningful and identify how they will directly enhance your life and relationships.  It's one thing to want to lose weight.  It's another to want to surprise your doctor at your next physical, or commit to health for the sake of your children.  Tying goals to meaningful events and/or people create a deeper meaning and level of personal responsibility.

2.      Break down large goals into smaller, measurable goals.  This is your path to success.  For example, to build my personal brand in 2016, I need to make sure I'm connecting with a certain amount of people per week, per day, per hour, etc.  Little things add up!

3.      Write it down!  Commit to it, and post it where you will see it every day.  Tell people about it, and ask them to help you stay accountable to yourself.  Make it your source of daily inspiration.

 
Allow your goals and checkpoints to be the "training program" to help you achieve your goals, and refer back to it early and often.

Here's to a healthy and prosperous New Year!