GOAL: 4 Ways to Stick With Your New Year’s Resolutions Year-round
By Guest Author Crystal Williamson
Should old acquaintance be forgot …
2010? It’s a new year and new decade! What are your New Year’s Resolutions for 2010? Lose weight, quit smoking (you know who you are!), start a holistic business … What were your resolutions last year in 2009? In 2000? In 1992? Did you have the same resolutions? Did you continue your new resolutions all year? Did you get March 1st with those resolutions?????!??!?! If not, then you’re in the same boat as most Americans. Approximately 87% of us don’t keep our resolutions. It’s frustrating, distressing and exhausting.
One way to keep your resolutions fresh and have staying power is to think of them as goals. Resolutions are the end result of goals. They may be formidable goals. But in the end, completing those goals will fulfill your resolution needs.
Use the acronym GOAL to keep your resolutions year-round. Here are a few tips to keep your GOALs:
G = GET GOING NOW
I’m a great believer in taking action. Talking about a goal, creating a vision board, or reading affirmations are a wonderful start. But if there is NO ACTION afterward, the goal is naught! If there is no action, it becomes a wish. Wishing is hollow if not followed by consistent action to fulfill your goal. How many New Year’s resolutions have gone unfulfilled due to lack of action and follow through? What is your 2010 resolution(s)? What are some interim goals for the first quarter of 2010? What is your goal (to fulfill your New Year’s resolution) for January 2010? What are some steps you need to take? How do you need to get going now?
Action Steps
Write down your 2010 goals, steps to take, and completion dates. Below is a link to download a table for you to visualize your goals and the steps you need to take to fulfill them. The first row of the table has an example of one of my 2010 goals and some steps I need to take to complete the goal. Note the steps to complete the goal have a concrete deadline date. Download the table now: http://www.bizsuccesspartner.com/ezine/goals-table.pdf
O = OUTCOME
Taking action steps toward your goals are tough! You are moving into uncharted territory. You are moving toward your goal. To maneuver through the quagmire, remember your ultimate outcome. For example, if you’re ultimate goal is to be 50 lbs. lighter, when times get tough, do some visioning. Imagine yourself fitting in your clothes with ease and comfort. Imagine how you’ll look in a new dress or suit. Imagine your smile of confidence. Imagine telling your family (or your family telling you) what a great thing you’ve accomplished. It’s happening NOW. Not in the future but NOW! Keeping your eyes on the prize and clearly knowing your outcome is the ultimate high!
A = ALLOW
The early part of 2002 was tough for me. While I was still reeling from the events of 9/11, I was going through a divorce; I was in another stormy relationship and I weighed 203 pounds. What turned my life around? One day in March 2002 I got out of breath while tying my sneakers. I had had it! I was ready for a change. The divorce didn’t get signed overnight nor did my other relationship change significantly but I did change my healthy mindset overnight. Friday I couldn’t tie my sneakers without panting; Saturday morning I was jogging in the park, grocery shopping for more nutritious meals and snacks, and losing weight. Within 4 weeks I lost 8 ½ pounds!
I knew it would be tough – I love desserts! But by mid-2003 I weighed 149 pounds. How did I lose the weight and still have dessert? I allowed myself to have my cake and eat it too! I allowed myself to make mistakes AND LEARN FROM THEM! I allowed myself to have dessert, an extra cookie or two, and discover more about my character. I learned about my food triggers and my emotional eating habits. At first it was distressing, but I got an accountability partner (someone whom I would update with my meal intake, eating habits and issues). I spoke to her twice a week. In turn, she was telling me about her food issues. It worked! WE both allowed ourselves to veer from the ultimate goal only to come back on track quickly. By the way WE BOTH have kept the weight off since then!
L = LOVE
About 30 years ago, I saw an interview with a jazz musician. He was asked why is it he has a strict policy to love every song he records. The musician answered that he had to love every song because if he didn’t and it became a hit, he was playing a song he disliked for the rest of his life! Keep this in mind when fulfilling your goal. Love your goal! Embrace your goal! Find your goal irresistible! Be passionate about your goal! Love the action you’re taking to realize your goal! Love how you are kind to yourself to achieve your goal! Love the outcome! Love, love, love, love your goal! And love the process!
A Unique Opportunity
As you know I’m a certified business coach who loves to help entrepreneurs catapult their businesses to the next level. I work one-on-one with a few select business owners to dramatically increase their client-base and business esteem. As a special offer, I am extending an invitation to anyone reading this article to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss how coaching and the GOALs system may help grow your business.
The consultation is free and you are under no obligation to hire me in the session. In fact, I’m very selective about my clientele. But I will be happy to meet with anyone who is serious and committed to significantly improve the profitability and visibility of their business.
This offer expires on midnight (ET) January 29, 2010. When you contact me, mention you heard the offer through Michele O’Reggio’s January 2010 newsletter.
Please contact me at coachingwithcrystal@yahoo.com to schedule your complimentary consultation or be added to my list to receive my monthly newsletter.
Have a great 2010??!
If it’s important to you, you’ll change …
Crystal Williamson
certified small business coach > technology/computer coach
coachingwithcrystal@yahoo.com
www.coachingwithcrystal.com
www.facebook.com/crystal.williamson
www.blogtalkradio.com/coachingwithcrystal
347.236.2030
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
