Did you make New Year’s resolutions this holiday season? Most people do. But avoiding to the U.S. News and World Report, almost 80 percent of people-4 out of 5- do not reach those goals. In fact, the majority quit on their resolution entirely by the end of January.
All of us have dreams and goals for our lives. So how can we better ensure that we are among the few who DO succeed and reach this year’s goals? After all, we won’t wake up some day and magically see all of our dreams come true. Those lifelong goals are only met as the yearly goals, the monthly goals and then…the daily goals are met. The older I get, the more I realize how FAST time truly flies- whether or not we are having fun. I want to have an impact- to do what God put me on this earth for! There really isn’t time to waste. Here are six proven ways to CRUSH your goals this coming year:
1.Make your goals bigger, not smaller. It is so much easier to just make “tiny” goals that we know we can easily succeed at, so we do not have to face the risk of failure. But if we do not challenge ourselves, we will not grow. I have heard it said, “If your goals are so easy that you can do them without God’s help, then your goals are too small. If your goals are beyond what you can do without God’s help, you are probably on the right track!”
2. God’s priorities need to come first. Are our goals God- honoring? When we put God first, “He will direct our paths.” Too many New Year’s goals are all about us (I’m bad about this)- “be more organized” “lose weight” “save money.” For a person of faith, our highest goals need to be about pleasing God and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. Personal goals are GREAT! But I now try to start with spiritual goals such as, “I will do a missions trips this year” or “I will read my Bible cover to cover this year” etc. I believe God can let us know how to challenge ourselves spiritually, mentally and physically all this coming year.
3. Be specific- Are our resolutions MEASURABLE? Again, it is so much easier to just say, “I’ll be more loving this year,” or “I’ll be more fit.” That way, we hope to protect ourselves from potential failure. This fear of failure can hold us back from achieving all God has for us. But to really achieve our goals, we need to first SPELL THEM OUT. Instead of saying, “Be more loving,” you could write, “With God’s help, I will raise _________ for the local homeless shelter,” or “This year, I will invite 3 new church families (or unchurched families!) to dinner at my home.” Instead of, “I’ll be healthier” try “I’ll walk for 30 minutes 5 days a week.” See the difference? It needs to be crystal clear if you did or did not reach your goal for the year. It needs to be clear what you need to do to succeed.
4. Don’t keep your goals a secret!- Secret goals are so much safer aren’t they? Secret goals have less risk of public “failure.” There is that fear of failure again! But secret goals are also much easier to back out of. Everyone needs accountability partners. For an exercise plan, it is a lot more difficult to back out of that daily walk if your walking partner is on her way to your house. If you skip your personal Bible study, only you and Jesus will know. But skip out on your small group Bible study- more people will know. Truly, we live better when we live life together. Take a deep breath, take a chance- and share that dream God has been laying on your heart with someone close to you. Sometimes just the act of saying it OUT LOUD can get the wheels of that vision turning. Who can you talk to about your dreams and goals? Who can you trust to call you on it when you start slacking off? I am eternally grateful to my friends, family and accountability partners who asked questions and kept me motivated in those last weeks before my last book was released. I was bogged down with so many little details, and I needed that extra push.Things WILL get tough and frustrating. That is when you need your cheerleaders to help you press on.
5. Don’t give yourself a way out- If you give yourself an “emergency exit” you WILL use it. Seriously. No diet would be successful if you kept your cupboards stocked with chocolate and chips “just in case this gets difficult.” Attaining your goals WILL be difficult. Do not give yourself a “back up plan” for when I fail at this. Creating a back up plan, usually a lesser goal, is another attempt at avoiding “failure.” I would rather aim high and not quite make it, then aim for the dirt and succeed. WHEN we fall or fail, we need to get back up and go back to it- not give up on the goal.
6. Plan backwards and set “mile markers”. It helps to look at the end of the year and work your way backwards, to see what needs to be done and by when. Celebrate each and every win. Each goal for your year should be broken down into quarterly, monthly and even daily goals. And even the biggest goals seem doable when we look at them one step at a time! And do not wait until the end of the year to celebrate; celebrate each “little win” along the way to keep yourself motivated.
What about you? What do YOU do to help you reach your dreams and goals? Do you have any secrets to share with us?
God bless your new year- Love Trisha
The Kidmin Ninja 