We will soon be turning the corner to a new year. While the change from 2020 to 2021 doesn’t offer the fresh new start we all desperately long for after the turbulence and uncertainty experienced by the masses, I still expect it is safe to say most will follow the status quo, as they do each year, of setting a New Year’s resolution.
New Year’s resolutions are a symbol of hope; no one goes in to a New Year hoping things get worse. No, we look forward to a challenge, a new calling, a new adventure and improvement of some sort.
That usually comes in the form of setting a goal that we’ll begin working towards on January 1st. Are you one of the people who will be losing 10lbs or padding their bank account? Only problem with this is, for the most part, a New Year’s resolution only lasts about two to three weeks before it’s set aside and forgotten. I’m not here to judge; I was guilty of doing the same for about 22 years.
Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals
Most coaches, myself included, agree that all goals should be S.M.A.R.T goals. S.M.A.R.T. stands for: Specific: Be very clear about what you want to achieve. Measurable: You should be able to collect some form of numerical data to know that you are coming closer to your end goal. You also need indication that you’ve reached the goal. Attainable: Select a goal that is possible. If you make $60k a year, your goal probably shouldn’t be to save $50k by the end of 2021 with that income alone. Realistic: Be honest with yourself when setting the goal. Do you have the capacity to obtain it? If you don’t, you may need to set subgoals. Timely: Give yourself a timeframe for when you expect to achieve the goal and strive to reach it by then. The timing should be challenging, but realistic. If your goal doesn’t have those five features it is not a goal as much as it is just a desire, but I also think this is an incomplete set of criteria for a life changing goal.
Below are my tips for creating lasting change
1. Figure out how you’re going to achieve your goal
You have a great goal in mind. How do you plan to achieve it? You have to have an actionable and effective procedure in place. Sometimes that means hiring someone to do that for you.
You’re about 25lbs overweight and want to lose ten pounds of body weight by April 1st. That goal is specific (10lbs), measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. However, if you don’t know how to lose ten pounds, you won’t achieve the goal. You have to do research and possibly get a coach.
2. Don’t expect to become a different person overnight
If you have to make a large, sudden change to who you are as a person to meet the goal, you may want to take steps before setting the goal you have in mind.
If you’re someone who enjoys several drink three days a week, eat fast food often and live a generally sedentary lifestyle, requiring yourself to eat three home cooked meals and hit the gym daily may be a stretch. My suggestion is to start with one adjustment at a time.
3. Don’t overextend yourself
If you have a life altering goal, you want to put that goal in the forefront of your mind. Having big goals in multiple domains is overwhelming.
Instead, choose a goal in a single domain (health, relationships, environment, civil duties, finances, education, career, etc.), but still be conscious of your behaviors in other domains of high importance to you.
4. Only compete with yourself
Do not compare your day 1 to someone else’s day 100. We live in a world where other people’s accomplishments are on full display for us to consume at all times. Keep in mind that most people only show their highlight reels. They’re not showing the length of time it took them to arrive where they are or the preparation and work that went into it.
5. Focus on the system you use to achieve the goal more than the goal itself
Let’s say you have a goal of losing ten pounds. Do you forget all about your weight once you reach that goal? No, you set other goals. Otherwise, you’ll go back to your old ways and gain back the ten pounds. The new goal might be to maintain your new weight. Or gain weight in the form of more muscle. A focus on the process, hitting the gym and paying attention to your food consumption, will ensure that you are making actual changes to your life instead of just meeting a goal once that can be undone.
6. Make the goal a part of your identity
Even before you are who you wish to become, start identifying yourself as such. If you want to become a writer, start identifying yourself as a writer from the beginning. What does it matter that you’re not making a livable income from your writing? By identifying as a writer, you’ll start to do things that resonate with the identity in order to avoid cognitive dissonance.
The bottom line
If your goal sounds like any of the following, scrap the goal and start over.
I’m going to lose weight this year.
I’m going to start reading more.
This year I want to be more responsible.
I am going to increase my savings this year.
My new years resolution is to learn how to draw.
Here’s something you can actually work with:
I am a healthier person (identity). My goal is to lose ten pounds of fat (specific and measurable) by March 31st (attainable, timely and realistic). I will do this by seeking a fitness and nutrition coach and committing to three workouts per week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after work (specific), and a meal prep program. I won’t compare myself to other gym-goers, because I am new and can’t expect to look like or train like others who have been doing this for years.
Now that you have some new tools in your tool box, it’s time to start building a goal that works, fits your current life circumstances, and sticks. Starting to achieve your goals on January 1, 2021 takes some prep work in 2020, so stop delaying and start working on your new self today!