MIND MATTERS: FULFILLING RESOLUTIONS

Are you someone who makes New Year’s resolutions every year, but fails to see them come to fruition? Maybe you had commitment, stuck with it awhile, but just couldn’t make it work for long?

I’m here to save the day! This will be the year you fulfill on your resolution!! Here’s how:

1. Set a goal: To achieve something, clearly define what you’re working toward, and make it SMARTR: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-driven, and I include R for Rewarded. A goal that meets these requirements might be, “I’m going to follow the Atkins Diet to lose 10 pounds by March 1st, and then I’ll treat myself to a new outfit.” What do you want, and when do you want it?

 2. Envision the outcome: An essential part of reaching for a goal is finding a way to stay motivated. That’s the role of your vision. To picture yours, close your eyes and imagine yourself after you’ve accomplished your goal. How do you feel? What’s different in your life? Get clear on how this vision appears, and whenever the storms of life tempt you away from your goal, recall this vision.

 3. Plan your days: It’s easy to let life get in the way and tell yourself you’ll worry about your goal another time. Be wary of these “when-then” deals—they rarely work. Instead, look carefully at your hours, days and weeks, and plan ahead to ensure your success. Expect obstacles and consider options for handling them. For example, to keep myself faithful to my diet when traveling, I always keep a protein bar handy. This simple strategy keeps me from emergency fast food stops that knock me off track

 4. Be strong in the weak moments: Temptation comes quietly and swiftly…work your plan daily, and when someone offers you a donut, remember how important your goal is…how important you are. Find strength in your vision! And if you do give in, don’t count yourself out. As the saying goes, “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.” 

Go for it, and make it a great year!

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Wendy Jameson, MA, offers personal and business coaching through her company, Potentiate. She's the author of The Low Carb Survival Guide e-book and co-creator of the email-based Self-Manager Success Program. She lives in Gilbert with her husband and two boys.