Have you ever made a News Years resolution and found that it did not last much longer than a few week or months into the year? If so, it’s possible the problem may be in your approach.

As one year is brought to completion and we begin another, it can be exciting as well as emotionally challenging. Reflecting back on the past year may bring up some disappointment as we compare what our hopes were for the past year versus what actually occurred, whether it was due to our lack of focus on our goals or that life happened. And, this is often what spurs our inspiration and motivation to do even better in the new year.

Each year, many of us start off with dreams of the possibilities and then find ourselves falling short of what we had been hoping for. Why is that? Maybe the answer is in our strategy for goal-setting.

If we have seen someone accomplish what we’re setting out to do, it is important to remember that it is possible for us to accomplish it too. The other thing we need to be mindful of is that when we set our aim high—as we should—it is easy to overwhelm ourselves by taking on too much too fast.

Simplicity has long disappeared from most of our lives. However, it is critical to our success and well-being to remember that there is power in it. Society conditions us to believe that more is better, and we fail to remember that ancient teachings that taught us to master one thing at a time before adding another. Instead, we multitask to the point of overwhelm and exhaustion, ultimately spinning our wheels much of the time.

While extreme momentum can be exhilarating for a while, maintaining it is not feasible or effective. It causes us to burn out and likely give up on our goal all together because we fall into a funk and start to believe that we might not have what it takes—not to mention the toll it takes on our mindset, emotions, and our body.

This does not mean that you shouldn’t aim high when setting your goals, no matter the time of year. You are here because you have a purpose and are needed in this world. You most certainly should aim high with your dreams and aspirations because you and your contributions are being woven into the history of humanity.

In order to give your goals and aspirations a viable chance at coming to fruition, you need to set up a realistic plan to create consistent momentum towards them. Make sure the steps in your plan are relevant to your end goal and will propel you forward in that specific direction. Your steps should be one thing at a time. Anything that gets you moving in the right direction is a good step.

Find Success in the New Year with Simplicity

What Inspires You to Accomplish Your Goal and Why?

Pick the one thing you want to do in the new year and take some time to explore what inspires you about it. What will having or accomplishing this thing give you? Will it help you in your relationships? Will it help you fulfill an item on your bucket list? Is it a creative outlet that allows you to connect to a deeper part of yourself? Will it improve your social status? What is your inspiration and what is your why? It is important to know these things because they will drive you to get there. Remembering that initial spark will help move you through any challenges or slumps that may otherwise derail you.

Have the Right Mindset

In order for this to be the year you reach your goal, you need to have your head in the game. Your beliefs and mindset will directly influence your ability to maintain momentum on your path to your goal. You need to really believe that your goal is achievable, and you need to believe it so fully that you know you are destined to achieve it. This mentality will sustain your efforts so that they will lead you to your desired goal or result. Rehearse it in your mind. See yourself doing it over and over again. And make sure that all the language and images you use in your rehearsal of achieving your goal are positive.

Outline the Steps

Now that you’ve taken the time to identify your goal, what motivates and inspires you to get there, and have the right mindset, the next step is to create a realistic action plan. What are the small, consistent steps you need to take—probably daily—that will lead you to your goal? Being able to maintain steady progress is key to reaching your goal. Having specific milestones in place along the way will help keep you motivated and on track. Decide now how you will celebrate each milestone and make it good. We love to be rewarded and to celebrate, so it will give you one more reason to keep moving forward.

Get Started

You’ve set your goal, identified your milestones and rewards on your path, now it’s time to start moving forward. Sometimes people fall off the path by this point because they are so used to putting things off until tomorrow. Or maybe they have put too much on their plate at once and experience paralyzing overwhelm. To help keep you on your path, look at your milestones and identify one small thing you can do to help you build strength, focus, and momentum. Take that action step and keep the inspiration for your goal in clear view and start moving forward. Take the steps!

More Ways to Stay Inspired

  • Read a chapter in The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson each week. The ideas presented and stories shared will keep you motivated to stick with your own small steps.

 

  • Write down your inspiration—or your WHY— and put it somewhere you will see it every day. Read it when you pass by to affirm to yourself that you are ready and willing to take each next step.

 

  • Find a coach or an accountability buddy to help keep you on track. Check in with them weekly, or even daily, to help you stay on track.

Keeping things simple will help you focus on your goal. Build a solid foundation and weave in one or two things at a time to your daily routine that will keep you moving slowly and intentionally forward.

I wish you a safe, successful, and happy New Year!