Are you one of those who establish new Year’s resolutions and rarely do you make them come true? Well, in the following article we will show you how to do so that this year you can achieve them.
The habit of establishing purposes at the beginning of the year is not something recent. In fact, it had its beginnings in Babylon where its inhabitants made promises to the Gods at the beginning of the year. Individuals who kept those promises would be blessed and those who did not would be punished.
In the past, these promises were focused on paying debts or returning favors. However, at present the new Year’s resolutions The most common ones focus on losing weight, quitting smoking, and saving money. Unfortunately, most of us fail to keep these promises.
According to a study80% of people do not fulfill their purposes. In other words, 8 out of 10 people who set New Year goals do not meet them. This is because they are raised in a very general way, without a deadline or a development plan.
Taking this into account:
How can I fulfill my New Year’s resolutions?
The size of the goals you set is a big determinant of whether or not you’re going to achieve them. Big goals are great (Think Big!) and can be a source of inspiration for you because of the appeal of the end result. However, you should not forget that a great goal requires effort and work to achieve.
If you want to lose weight, say 10 kilos, you have to pay the price equivalent to those 10 kilos. This means, make certain sacrifices that most people are not willing to make. For example, you will have to start dieting and some kind of exercise. When you view your purposes from this perspective, they seem impossible to achieve. That’s why you must…
1. Break big goals into small steps.
When the big dream you have isn’t broken down into small, achievable steps, you feel overwhelmed. This is because it all comes down to a single step you need to take. One that your brain isn’t entirely comfortable with. It’s like asking a 10-year-old to carry a 100-kilo bag of sand. If you do, the child will most likely not do it because he believes it is impossible.
The surprising thing is that this task can be done by the child, or in other words, there are possibilities to complete it. What happens if he moves 3 or 5 kilos of sand at a time? When we think in small steps, big goals don’t sound impossible.
If your purpose is to complete a marathon, start training with small distances and gradually increase the number of kilometers covered. In this way, your brain will gradually accept the effort, to the point of seeing it as possible and achievable. When you complete 10 or 20 kilometers you will feel very good with the advances. This positive feedback will motivate you to keep training.
If you take one step every day, no matter how small, you will get closer and closer to achieving your goals. Another strategy you can use is…
2. Don’t set too many New Year’s resolutions.
If you want to keep your New Year’s resolutions, don’t set too many. The problem with having many objectives is that you will most likely have problems and fail several times when trying to take small steps towards a single goal.
If this is so, imagine what would happen if you set 4 or 5 purposes. Surely, you would lose motivation and abandon your intentions to fulfill those purposes. Our recommendation is, pick just one to start.
For example, if you want to lose weight, you might start by getting into the habit of eating healthy for a period of time. No need for exercise, just try to get used to eating well. When you solidify this habit, think about starting a new one.
Taking things easy will help you enjoy the process and increase your motivation. Finally, if you manage to fulfill only one of your resolutions, you will have much more confidence in yourself to continue with the next one.
3. Understand why you want to achieve that purpose.
When you are considering a change, take the time to think it over carefully. Evaluate what are the advantages and disadvantages of achieving that purpose. Is it worth a try? Does it agree with your personality and principles? Do you want to do it for yourself, or just to please someone else?
It is very important that you understand the reasons for your decisions. This will help you pursue them with greater impetus.
4. Create a plan to achieve your New Year’s resolutions.
Planning in this case means setting time in your schedule, as well as acquiring and managing resources. If you want to start going to the gym every day, you’ll need to pay for a membership, buy activewear, and set aside time to exercise.
Resources are a very important part of fulfilling your New Year’s resolutions. If you go to the gym and get blisters from wearing the wrong shoes, you’re less likely to dare to do it again. This will become the excuse that will justify you not going to the gym anymore.
If you don’t organize your day and set certain hours for your activities, you will surely think that you don’t have enough time and as a result you will lose motivation. If your purpose is to read a book a month, Plan how many pages or chapters you will read a day, as well as what time of day you will do it. Having a plan will get you closer to achieving your goals.
5. Set a start date.
Set a date on which you will start, this does not necessarily have to be at the beginning of the year. It also doesn’t have to be a Monday or when everything is perfect. Find the day that works for you to achieve the state of mind you need to increase your motivation.
If the New Year’s Eve party leaves you in recovery during the first week of January, chances are you won’t be doing anything to fulfill your New Year’s resolutions. So, you must be realistic with these dates and with the time that you will be able to dedicate.
6. Learn from your mistakes.
It is very likely that problems will arise, and before starting to work on your purposes, you should plan how to deal with those that are likely to arise. However, it is impossible to predict all problems, so be prepared to stumble along the way.
You will feel bad when you fail, and you may doubt your abilities to achieve what you think is possible.
Being depressed is a part of life sometimes, and it can seem like everyone else except you is getting what they set out to do. But others are not your problem, you are. Learn to pick yourself up when you’re down. Learn the lesson, make adjustments and try again.
7. Track your progress.
Tracking your progress, especially the smaller achievements, is perhaps the best way to motivate yourself. They show you where you were and where you are going. If you lose a kilo, be happy, you have taken a first step.
Watching your progress will also show you when you get stuck and why it might have happened. In this way, you can correct your course. Remember, achieving something small is much better than achieving nothing.
Do something, no matter how small. Walking 10 minutes a day to lose 20 pounds is better than dwelling on the idea that if there was a gym near you, you’d be getting at least 45 minutes of exercise every day.
8. Look for someone who has achieved what you want to achieve.
Find out if there is someone who has lost as much weight as you want to lose, who has managed to get the abdomen you dream of or who shows you the way to run the marathon you want to do this year. Chances are that other people have walked the path and can guide you. What did they do? What made the process easier? The answers to these questions will surely be of great help to you.
Conclusion.
In order for you to fulfill your New Year’s resolutions, focus first on a single goal, this goal must be clearly defined and divided into the smallest steps you can take to achieve it.
Schedule it into your routine and take advantage of all the resources you need to start working on it.
Problems are likely to arise and you will continually encounter obstacles. If you can anticipate them, make adjustments to deal with them and when you do fall, pick yourself up, clean yourself up, learn your lesson and start again.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Tell us in the comments.
And remember, if you are really interested in creating your own business, you can read our book “How to create a company while working: Discover how to manage your time, manage your money and motivate yourself while creating a company and working for another” , where you will find all the information you need to found your own company, without having to leave your job.
