In Part 1 of this series, we talked about determining our goals, and in Part 2 we talked about accountability and finding your tribe. So now we have a goal, know why it’s important to us, and we have people to help support us through our goal.
Now, we come to the last part of the series. To keep the hard work you put into this goal alive, and to set yourself up for success next time, we need to do two things.
Set Reasonable Time Frames
First, we need to set a manageable timeline for our goal. I think one reason that New Year’s resolutions fail is that a year is such a long time.
There’s just too big a gap between now and then. It feels daunting to think about sticking to a new habit for 365 days.
But what if we broke that down into a more manageable time frame? Setting a goal of three months is a good length to stretch us, allow any new habits to take root, but isn’t too long to demotivate us.
If that feels too long, break that down into a month at a time, or even a week. The key here is to break down whatever you are trying to accomplish into manageable chunks that YOU can stick to. Ask yourself: What do I need to do today to be successful with this goal? Just show up at the gym? Run for 5 minutes? Avoid my afternoon soda?
Celebrate the Wins
Second, if you want to keep the momentum going, then you must celebrate your wins. It takes hard work to change yourself, and you need to acknowledge and celebrate that!
Ask yourself the question, “How will I celebrate if I accomplish this?” Find something that gets you excited to complete the goal.
Attended the gym consistently for a month? Celebrate yourself with some new workout clothes. Skipped soda for a week? Treat yourself to an activity you’ve always wanted to try but never have.
By celebrating your accomplishments, you’ll encourage yourself to continue on.
Follow these same steps for each goal, and you’re sure to see continued success in achieving those goals. With a defined goal, an accountability partner, and a reward for accomplishing the goal, you’re well on your way to a new you!
Goal Setting 201: Everybody Needs Somebody