We all look forward to the New Year so we can “get back on track” and “really work toward our goals“. We have big plans to start working out, to lose weight, or perhaps to simply make better food choices. Not only do we have big goals, we put big pressure on ourselves to start all of this in the new year. Does any of this sound familiar?

It’s great to set new goals for the future, but why does it have to start the first day of the new year? Goals are more than just making a statement about what you want to accomplish. If you are going to start a new path, which is essentially a new lifestyle, you must first be realistic about it and that starts with you being real with yourself.

So, first things first, is the new year the most realistic start date? There are often lots of changes that may be going on in the new year and to add more pressure by changing eating or exercise habits could be challenging. If something doesn’t go as planned right from the start, it could potentially put you in the mindset of failure. If the goal is to make real changes that stick, you want to give yourself the best opportunity for success.

But the New Year is like a New Beginning

The New Year is a great time to make some changes in your life, but putting pressure to start on the first day of the new year may lead you down a path of failure. Change can begin on any day of the year, so be realistic about what will actually work for you and get you on the path to success.

Here are some starter tips to help in your decision:

1. Think about what it is you really want to accomplish this year. If it’s multiple things, write each one down separately. Be realistic in your goal setting so you are able to meet them. If necessary, break the bigger goal down into smaller goals.
2. Be specific in what you want to accomplish so it is measurable. For example, rather than saying I want to lose weight, be specific as to how much. You can even break it down further and say how much per month.
3. Figure out what your plan will be in order to accomplish this. How are you going to lose weight, exercise more, work on your mindset, etc? What changes need to be made and how are you going to make that happen?
4. Finally, just start. Don’t plan a specific day to start, such as the first of the month or next Monday, just start. It’s not the day that’s going to make you successful, it’s the action.

Best-Laid Plans

Now that you have a plan in place and have started, the most important thing to keep in mind is sticking to it. More often than not, goals set in the new year have gone awry by the 2nd or 3rd week. At this point, you have already put in 14-21 days of effort, so don’t give up. New habits take a wide range of days to stick and depending on the habit, the average number of days for it to become automatic is 66. [1].

It’s okay if every day isn’t going “perfect”. If you get off track on your meal plan or miss a day of exercise, don’t worry about it, there is always tomorrow. Just leave any negative thoughts behind along with the day it happened and pick up the next day. You will be successful doing this. It is a mindset. Keep the mindset on track and everything else will follow. 

Staying Motivated

It is a challenge to stay motivated sometimes, even when you seem to be doing well. Life seemingly just gets in the way. It’s OKAY! This happens to everyone at some point. The key is to not let it take over and to keep yourself in a positive, “I can do it no matter what” frame of mind. This is where writing down your goals and keeping them visible somewhere may help.

When everything seems to be holding you back from your original plan

• pull out your list of goals
• think about why you set those goals
• see if there needs to be some modifications to fit your current situation 

When you sit down to write goals, they are just that, goals in that moment of time. There is nothing written in stone that says the goals or the path to reach those goals cannot be changed or modified. Come up with a new plan that is realistic for your current circumstances. If/when those change again, re-evaluate once again. This will lead you down the path to success.

It doesn’t matter how you go about it or how many times you need to modify the plan, it’s that you keep trying and working toward the original goal. You will get there if you stick with it and stay positive. It is unnecessary to let any offset get you down. Just focus on how later in the day or tomorrow is going to be different and get back to it. You are worth it!

Getting Ready for 2020

So, what is your goal for 2020 and how are you going to get there? Following these tips will help you down the road to success.

1. Set your goal(s) for the year, month, week or whatever time-frame you have in mind to accomplish it.
2. Make it realistic and reachable. You can do it in phases if that works better.
3. Modify as necessary to make it work in your life and circumstances. Just stick to it.
4. Stay focused and on track despite any mishaps that may come along the way… because they will come. Remember tomorrow is a new day. 
5. Know you can do this. Remind yourself you are worth it!

I would love to hear about some of your goals for the coming year. Leave a comment and let’s start a conversation.