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It’s that time of the year
again. The old year is ending and the
new one will begin soon and that makes us think about our goals for the next
year. What do we want to accomplish? How will we move ahead? What is most important to us? It is a great opportunity but it can also be
very frustrating if we feel that our goals are beyond our reach.
Here are some tips for making
resolutions that can make a difference in the new year:
Consider Who the Resolutions
are For
Sometimes we forget to think
about what is really important to us and we start making goals based on what
other people think we should do. So ask
yourself if you are making your resolutions for yourself, because you want to,
or for others because they think you should.
If your resolutions are going to reach completion during the year and
you are going to be able to stay committed to them, they have to be something
that YOU want.
Determine Your Goals
Realistically
If you set goals that are
just next to impossible, you’re going to give up on them easily and before they
even have a chance of being met.
Consider whether or not you have the resources that you need at your disposal in order to meet your goals. Consider your health and the stress levels
that you might have to undergo to meet your goals. Consider what you might have to give up. Will you need to spend a lot of time away
from your family and friends? If so, how will they react to that?
Have a Plan to Get Back On
Track
Everyone falls off the path
once in awhile so to expect that you will head straight on to meet your goal
without any slip ups is unrealistic.
They key to reaching your goal is to have a plan for when you do slip. Just because your path has altered does not
mean you can’t still reach your goal. An
accountability partner can help you get going in the right direction again.
Plan Some Rewards
Meeting a big goal is an accomplishment and you should
reward yourself when you do. Make the
reward something you really want like a cruise or new living room furniture. If you miss your goal within the year,
remember that you can still give yourself your reward in the next year if you
complete the goal.
Penalties Can Be Motivational, Too
If your goal is to make an extra $5000 in the next year set
a penalty for every $1 or every $100 that you don’t make. Obviously, it can’t be a monetary penalty but
it could be a penalty that has benefits to someone else, like you could donate
an hour of your time to a charity chosen by friends and family for every $100
that you are off. Some people find it motivational
to have to donate time to something that they DON’T support.
Remember that resolutions are supposed to be there to help
you better your life and they are meant to be something you want to do. Choose a couple well selected resolutions and
plan to succeed and you will be more likely to accomplish great things in 2012!
