I know the story and so do you.  Over 80% of Americans set New Years Resolutions, and about 5% of those actually keep any part of the resolutions.  This year it’s time to be different.  You are going to set and keep resolutions this year and your going to like it.

Don’t Try To Do To Much. You can not change your entire life at the beginning of the year so don’t try to.  You are going to set one maybe two life goals for the year and one personal goal and that is it.  Life goals can be:

• Stop Smoking
• Stop Drinking
• Eat Better
• Get healthy
• lose weight
• You get the point

Personal Goals can be:

• Give Blood Regularly
• Save More Money
• Volunteer more
• Pray or read a scripture
• These are things that affect not just you but others as well

Sticking to a few things will pay dividends over the next year.  You can keep track of your progress easier and you do not feel overwhelmed.  If loosing weight is your goal I would suggest that and 1 or 2 personal goals should be your combination.

Get Someone To Keep You Accountable. This can be with people you share a goal with or people who have completely different goals.  The main thing is that this person or people will ask you the tough questions, and you will be honest with them. I coached two women who were supposed to be accountability partners.  While they did ask each other if they were keeping the goals, come to find out they never challenged each other when they failed to hold-on to their goals.

Experiment With New Ways of Seeing Your Goal.  Are your goals really your goals?  If you are trying to do stuff you hate then it is better to find out who you are than try to change who you are to fit the goals you think you need to have. (That’s a long sentence, make sure you read it right.)

Write Your Goals Out.  This seems simple at first, but writing your goals down will help cement them in your subconscious.  I rewrite my goals at least once a month and try to do it every couple of weeks.  I write them in the present tense so it sounds like I have already accomplished them.  I don’t know if this helps in the long run, but it does help me visualize them better.

Read Your goals Daily.  reading is like writing.  repetition gets them into your thinking so your mind can work over the ways to accomplish them.  This may be the hardest part of the whole process, because it is the easiest part.  When you read your goals they become real to you and when they become real you will accomplish much more.

Do Something Every Day.  Even a small step is one step closer to your goal.

Take A Big Step.  While small step will make up most of your effort.  If you have an opportunity to take that class, or change your workout routine, Do It!  If this one thing can propel you closer to your goal then you need to jump on it with both feet.

Act fast.  If an opportunity arises pertaining to a goal make your decision on it quickly.  Yes or No, it doesn’t matter, but do it quickly.  Then forget it. Accept what you decided and gain strength from it by not rehashing it.

Use Accountability Software and Apps.  Most people have a smart phone of some sort today.  Use them to your advantage not hindrance.  Get an app to keep track of your habits you want to change.  Download Habit Forge, or Focus Booster to your computer.  Find something to keep you focused on the task at hand.

Celebrate your Accomplishments.  You deserve this.  You have worked hard to get where ever you are right now so celebrate that.  Set your celebration markers before you get started.  these should be relational to the goal and at intervals that take effort to get to, but not so much you miss the opportunity.  Celebrations should feel special, and make you feel special for doing what you have done.

Let’s start this year off right, and get those goals accomplished.  You can do what ever you set your mind to and that’s not just a load of crap.  You really can accomplish the goals you have.