Now that we survived 2020. Let's all take a deep breath and let out a long sigh. Without going into too much detail of how tough last year has been for some of us, I believe the general consensus here is thank goodness 2020 is over.
It's January, and this is the time where most people set out on their goals. Do you realize that you end up carrying on the same goals you made last year and don't seem to achieve them? Now, why is that? It's because of how we think, and the strategies we have been using have not worked, so the results remain the same. To be honest, the whole New Year, New You is a cliche that is getting boring. Here's what I encourage you to consider instead- New Year, New Ways!
Here are 5 new ways to think of your goals this year:
1) FIND A COMPELLING WHY
"When the WHY is strong enough, you'll figure out the How" - Bill Walsh.
Dig deep and be honest to yourself. Spend some time writing it down in your journal so you can always refer back to it when you lose motivation or lose track of why you need to achieve your goals. Ask yourself why do you want to achieve those goals? What happens if you don't? What happens if you do? How will it change your life? Find a compelling and emotional attachment to the reason as to why you want to reach a goal.
Some examples can be:
"If I do not lose weight now, I will not be able to run after with my kids anymore."
"If I don't eat healthily, then I won't be able to prepare my body for IVF."
"If I don't set time for self-care, then I will burn out and show my kids that my needs don't matter."
2) SET 3 GOALS IN 3 MONTHS
As we saw last year, things can happen at any time! Such things like a global pandemic, job loss, illness, which can change your plans altogether. Setting three goals in a shorter time frame will make it more manageable and achievable than ten goals at the beginning of the year. Start with three main goals you want to reach in three months, then set three simple goals each month to get there. The simpler the plan, the better.
Example if one of your main goal is to lose weight in three months. Your smaller goals for that month could be:
"I will eat a green salad before dinner every night."
"I will drink a green smoothie in the morning every morning."
"I will run for 20 minutes thrice a week- on Mon, Wed and Fri."
3) NOW BE SPECIFIC
I believe we all know what SMART goals are but have you heard of the SPECIFY goal model?
SPECIFY stands for- Sensory Specific, Positive, Ecological, Choice increasing, Initiated by you, First-step identified, Your resources identified. It's an NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) way to think about your goals. So in terms of sensory specific, it is looking at the goal as if you already achieved it. So imagine what will lose those 6 kgs look, hear and feel like for you?
An example will be:
"I feel the fabric of the UK size ten swimsuit fitting perfectly. I will hear my husband telling me that I look sexy. I will look into the mirror and feel happy and proud of my new body."
4) TELL A MENTOR OR A COACH
Researchers say that sharing your goal with someone you look up to does more than keep you accountable. It also makes you more motivated, simply because you care what this person thinks of you. For example, telling a mentor or a coach will keep you more fired up than telling a friend or your partner. Having to face an outsider and report what you did/ did not do actually helps you to move forward. It's different from using an app where you just enter some data to track your progress and after two weeks you stop using it. The motivation is different!
5) CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK
Sometimes we let our thoughts get in the way of our actions. We talk ourselves out of why we cannot keep up with the new steps to reach our goal. The only way to change that is to change the way we think, and this is where NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) can be helpful. The easiest way to describe NLP is when an app on your phone is no longer working for you, you delete the app and download a new app that works. NLP can help transform your limiting beliefs and thought patterns so that you can take action to achieve what you want, and motivates you to keep going.
I hope you manage to manifest your dreams and goals this year. Know that you have it in you to do what it takes to make it happen. All it takes is making a small step today. Change is easy when you start believing in yourself.
Curious to find out more about NLP? Book a free 30 mins clarity call here to see how I can help you with your goals.