Lose weight. Take a cooking class. Travel to Spain. The New Year is here, and you’ve probably got some resolutions or goals in mind. A 2007 study from the University of Bristol involving 3,000 people showed that 88% of those who set New Year’s resolutions fail. However, the success rate went up dramatically when they engaged in goal setting and made their goals public to get support from friends. How can you give yourself a fighting chance of achieving your goals? A SMART decisionFirst, let’s take a look at the goals themselves. Setting a goal that seems unachievable or is too vague will only discourage you trying. When it’s time to set objectives, remember to be SMART and make them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. Set clear parameters about your resolution and you’ll be better equipped to determine steps to take along the way, tactics to achieve success and a manageable timeline.Are you hoping to lose weight in 2014? Hope is not enough. You must make a plan to achieve your goal. One of the most powerful and supportive things you can do is write down your game plan. Here’s an example: Specific: I’d like to lose 10kg by 1 June so I look dashing in my swimming costume on my tropical holiday. Measurable: I’m going to record my start weight and plan to lose between half to a kilo per week by planning healthy meals, taking my lunch to work, replacing a meal with Reliv’s ReShape with LunaRich and walking or exercising every day. I’ll also schedule strength training to burn extra calories and keep my body toned as I start to lose weight. Attainable: Losing 0.5-1kg per week for 21 weeks is entirely possible for me. It’s a healthy rate of weight loss. I’ve joined a gym with a walking track so I can continue to exercise on bad-weather days. Relevant: Getting down to a healthy weight will do wonders for my health and long term wellbeing. I’m taking a preventative approach with Reliv! Time Bound: I’m going to achieve this goal and track my progress so I’m ready for my vacation on 1 June! Begin With the End in Mind Consider each of these steps for any resolution you’d like to make and visualise your goal as you plan. If you’re hoping to grow your business by sharing Reliv with five new people each day, imagine the elation you’ll feel as your income grows and you’re recognised for your achievements! While you’re doing the hard work, thinking about the success you’ll enjoy will help keep you focused on your goal. Round Up the Troops Setting up a support system is critical to achieving goals. It’s far too easy to slack on the things you need to do each day when nobody will know. A great thing about your Reliv business is that you’ve got a team of cheerleaders and encouragers ready to support you! Share your goals with others in your organisation and ask them to help keep you accountable. They’ll be able to offer you sage business advice and well as congratulations when you make strides. Be sure to share your goals with people who are supportive and encouraging and who you trust to keep you in line when you need a pep talk. Your Turn Now that you know how to set yourself up for success by making SMART goals, what is your plan for 2014? Let’s be accountable together and share our goals for the New Year! We’ll check back in a few weeks from now to reevaluate our plan! Let’s get moving! Sources: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748703478704574612052322122442 http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New-Years-Resolutions.shtml http://achievewithmaggie.com/goal-setting-statistics-are-you-beating-the-odds/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/glassheel/2013/11/05/7-excuses-we-use-to-cover-up-failure/ |