Over the last couple of weeks I've been approached by many of my clients asking for tips on how to commit to their goals. My response is always the same, ask yourself "How bad do you want it?". Whenever I have to ask this question to myself, I turn to one very motivational video which in essence says "you have to want it as bad as you want to breathe". See, our goals and aspirations cannot be something that we just want to do because our family, society or the world expects us to do. It has to come from within, you have to want it so bad that it overtakes everything else. You have to be willing to give things up for it too. You may have to sacrifice social outings with your friends, a shopping spree or that new gadget but the best thing is, it's all worth it.
If you want it bad enough, below you can find 10 points which I use in my goal setting and could be super beneficial in sticking to your New Year resolutions.
1) Write it down
At the end of each year I get a ‘1 day to page’ calendar, which serves as my guide for the next 12 months. I write my goals and aspirations on the first few pages of January. For each of these goals I enter a date that I want to achieve it by, writing the goal in present tense on the date set. Then I write an action plan and enter mini "checkpoints" in the diary. For fitness goals I would strongly recommend the SMART goals strategy. (TIP: for extra motivation also add goals as reminders on your phone to stay on track and keep motivated every single time the reminder beeps!)
2) Surround yourself with people on the same mission as you
It has been proven that we become the people we hang out with, as a matter of fact, according to Jim Rohn, a motivational speaker, you become the average of 5 people you hang out with the most. Make sure that the people you surround yourself with support you in your journey and share similar passion. Find a gym buddy or a Facebook support group to keep you motivated and to track your progress. Getting a fitness or wellness coach is also hugely beneficial but if money is an issue ask a friend to be your coach and to make sure you stay on track. You will be more successful the moment you remember someone is holding you accountable! I am not saying that you should cut off all friends who are slightly behind you in the success game, raise yourself up, grow strong and solid and then you will be able to help them do the same but just do not allow them to distract you and slow down your progress.
3) Don't get side tracked by "naysayers"
It is with sadness that I am saying this but some people will not want you to succeed. The only reason they want to see you fail is because they don't think they can achieve it themselves and are projecting their own fears on to you. Remember that you are the only person responsible for the failure or success of your mission, stay focused on your goal and eliminate negativity from your day to day life.
4) Build a positive mind-set
I know it is hard to keep your mind positive at all times, however we didn't learn to read or write in a day, did we? Everything takes time and practice. Try with acknowledging a negative thought and changing your mind state to a positive one because every negative thought has it's direct opposite. Just give it a try, take a minute, close your eyes and think of a moment from the past that made you insanely happy or loved...see what you saw, feel what you felt and hear what you heard. Can you see how quickly your mindset changed? You can use this technique anywhere, anytime.
(TIP: if you struggle to get up in the mornings you can use the same technique. When your alarm rings and you are inclined to press the snooze button, think of the time you were super motivated, see what you saw, feel what you felt, hear what you heard and breathe the same way.... you're welcome!)
5) Replace your Why’s with ‘How’s
If doubts still creep in occasionally (it is only natural), remember that everyone gets them, even the most successful people. The trick to overcoming doubts is acknowledging them and then rephrasing the question in your head. Instead of pondering on questions like ‘Why am I procrastinating?’, ‘Why am I not a good salesperson?’, ‘Why am I not good enough’, rephrase them with ‘How can I establish habits that will make me achieve my goals?’, ‘How can I improve my sales skills?’, ‘How can I be the person I want to be?’. The brain answers your questions concretely and you will be amazed how simply rephrasing the questions you ask yourself will have you escaping the negativity trap and instead getting practical solutions that will drive you forward. All coming from the hidden powers of your own brain!
6) Use Post-it notes!
My room and bathroom is a constant reminder of my goals and my personal mantras about self belief and motivation. I use post-it notes to remind myself about my mission and the reasons behind it. I use motivational quotes too. My personal favourite, which I put on my mirror, is "The fact that you are not where you want to be should be enough motivation". Believe it or not, it immediately changes the way you go about your day!
7) A tiny step towards your goal is still a step
In fitness terms, no matter how short your workout was remember that you are still lapping everyone on the couch! Acknowledge the little wins, give yourself a pat on the back, say ‘I did well here’. Because doing this will feel good and your subconscious will want to come back to this feeling thus motivating you to do well even when you are not trying.
8) Abandon the competition
Always remember that you are not competing against anyone, the only true competition you have is the person staring at you from the mirror so stop comparing yourself to others and thinking that someone is doing better than you.
9) Have Gratitude
After acknowledging every step, acknowledge yourself and have gratitude. Gratitude is a powerful force and the highest form of gratitude is that towards yourself. Say ‘thank you’ for working so hard, for following your dreams, for taking little as well as big steps, for succeeding, for failing, for getting up again, and for just going. The peace inside that follows is so transformative and will help you go further.
10) Start now
Remember that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Be proactive. Take action. Just DO it.
These are just few steps to help you stay on track. You don't have to use it for New Years resolutions only, these steps can be applied to anything that you wish to achieve in your life.
Happy New Year Everyone,
With good love and gratitude,
Mags xx