Twinkie’s Challenge: Accomplish your New Year’s Resolutions

On average, New Year’s Resolutions just don’t seem to last past February. This is the year to finally change all of that. This is the year to put the odds in your favor and finally accomplish your goals.

Focus on a select few

List all of the goals you would like to accomplish this year. Now just pick two or three goals that are the most important to you. If you choose too many goals to accomplish, you can get too overwhelmed which can hurt your chances of getting anything done.

Be realistic with your goals. If you are 5′ 11″, you probably shouldn’t have your goal to be a “size 00”.  Not only would an impossible goal be discouraging to anyone, this type of a goal would be extremely unhealthy for you. Your goals should better your life rather than become detrimental to your health.

List your reasons “Why”

For each goal that you have decided to work on this year, list a couple of reasons why you want to achieve these goals. If you are trying to lose weight to help with your Diabetes, list that as your reasons why. Be very detailed with your “Why”, since this is what’s going to help motivate you when you want to quit.

In addition to detailing your “Why”, maybe you can write yourself a note to read when you are at a weak point and thinking about giving in to temptations. You are your biggest motivator. Use it to your advantage.

Create a Plan

Now that you know which goals to focus on and your reasons for achieving them, it’s now time to create a plan on how you will carry out your goals. List specific steps on how you will accomplish  your goals. For example, if your goal is to lose your last 10 pounds (yay!), write “exercise 5 days a week” or “eliminate fast food” as part of your plan. This process  is all about action items, which shows you how you will accomplish your goals – for real this time!

There may be several components for accomplishing each goal, which is exactly why you only want to focus on a few important goals. Don’t overwhelm yourself.

Set a Goal date

A very important part of creating your New Year’s Resolutions is to have a Goal date. Each of your goals should have it’s own goal date. Setting a date for when you want to achieve your goals is an important part of your success since it helps you stay on track.

I personally like goal dates since they give me a  set dead line. Sometimes I will give myself some extra time to allow for some wiggle room, but not too much since I don’t want to procrastinate working on my New Year’s Resolutions goals.

Track your progress

Have regular check ups to make sure you are still on track. Have some time set aside each week or each month to go over your goals. This will give you accountability and help you remain focused. If you are having a tough time with one of your goal, check out the reasons why you are working so hard.  Focus on the positive, and stay motivated.

Get support

Get the support you need from friends and family to stay on track. If you write down your goals and tell people about them, you will give yourself accountability to accomplish your goals as well as some positive encouragement. If your family knows you are trying to lose weight, they will know not to bring over cookies or other fatty foods that will distract you from your goals.

Make the decision to Succeed

Decide today that you will accomplish your goals. Success is a decision, not a hope. You may not always accomplish your goals exactly how you planned it, but you can still succeed with your New Year’s Resolutions. Remember that big worthwhile goals don’t happen overnight, and each day is a step closer to where you want to be.

What’s your New Year’s Resolution goals?

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