Ready, Set, Goal

Now that the New Year’s Resolution hype has subsided, it’s time to pay attention to the new habits we wish to create and how we intend to create them. Unfortunately, studies show that the excitement dies off rather quickly and most people give up their New Year’s resolutions as early as February. Why is it that something we were so inspired by just a couple of weeks ago is already fading away? And more importantly, what can we do in order to stay on course with our dreams and goals for the New Year?

Small Changes Add Up. Once you have your goals set, break them into smaller goals, and think of the steps you need to take—this month, this week, and even today—in order to reach those goals. If you would like to get into a better shape, maybe your goal this week is to go on two 20-minute walks by the weekend. If you’d like to reduce stress or build mental resilience, maybe your goal this week is to do breathing exercises for five uninterrupted minutes. Remember, habits are made out of small chunks of behavior.

Celebrate Your Success. As it is the case with most life journeys, there will be successes and failures. Celebrating your successes along the way increases your motivation and strengthens your confidence in the path you’re talking. It even triggers the release of Dopamine, which creates a “feel good” reaction in the brain. We know today that people who celebrate small accomplishments along the way are far more likely to reach their goals. If you achieved your weekly goal and went for a walk or did breathing exercises, make sure to celebrate and remind yourself that no accomplishment is too small.

Focus on Adding, rather than Taking Away. It’s usually easier to add a behavior than to eliminate a behavior. By eliminating a behavior, you subconsciously feel more deprived by thinking something is taken away from you. For example, “eating less unhealthy food” can get you fixated on the food that you are now deprived of. Instead, you can focus on “eating more healthy food” which will ultimately lead to the same, perhaps even better, results.

Bring Your Long-Term Goals to the Everyday Life. Once you set your goals, find ways to bring them to the forefront of your mind. Place a post-it on your door or on the mirror in your bathroom so that you can see it daily. Set a recurring event in your calendar or a part of your screen saver as a reminder. Whatever you do, find ways to bring those distant dreams into your every day living and then connect what you do today with where you’d like to be in a year’s time. If it’s rainy and cold, and you’d rather stay on the couch in your pajamas, remind yourself that going to the gym today is your connection—your bridge—to the future that you wish for. 

Whatever your goals might be, may we all have a very happy, healthy and fulfilling New Year!