Goals Not Resolutions

Happy Day TWO of 2014!

Have you set any New Years resolutions?

Have you already broken one?

Come on…. I KNOW you said losing weight was #1 on your list. Out of curiosity, how many leftover cookies have you eaten so far today? 😉

The statistics on broken resolutions are pretty entertaining. I think we can all safely say we suck at follow-through.

I believe if we shift our minds from creating mindless resolutions to setting measurable goals, we would be much better off!

Think about it.

Our resolutions always focus on the negative and are far too broad!

I’m going to Lose weight
I’m going to Quit smoking
I’m going to get out of debt

They lack direction, they can’t be measured and they all set you up for failure.

So, how do we go about setting realistic goals? I’ve outline a few suggestions below.

Be positive
Most resolutions you create can be tied back to your level of happiness, do they not? So, let’s create goals that set us up on the right foot. Instead of “I’m going to lose weight” try “I am going to make changes towards living a healthier lifestyle”. The first goal just sounds so boring and negative. The second goal is positive and self-reassuring!

Be specific
“I’m going to lose weight” is neither specific or positive. Change it to “I am going to make healthier food choices each day”. This gives you wiggle room in your diet. So what if you fall off track and have a piece of cake? Did you at least make one healthy choice in food that day? Then you’re gonna be all right.

Make a schedule
Have a plan. Write it out. Follow through with it.

Track your steps
Take the above mentioned plan and track your steps along the way, whether an online food journal like myfitnesspal.com, or on a notepad you carry with you. However you want to track your progress, do it! Just make it and follow it.
Be Flexible
What happens if Goal 1 can’t happen? Say for instance one of your goals was to run a 5K faster then the last race and you are all of a sudden faced with an injury? Have a Plan B! So, maybe you can’t run the 5K, but you can walk. Do it! Always think about what you can do to alter the goal to make it work for you.

Repeat: Failing is Not an Option

Right this very moment, where are you at in your life’s dreams and is this where you want to be in a year from now? Setting goals is all about making a better YOU. Your goals are flexible, they are not set in stone and you aren’t a failure if you don’t achieve the first goal laid out. Adjust the goals as you go to best fit the direction you’re headed.