Most of us start the New Year with the best of intentions to make positive changes in our lives. But more often than not, most resolutions end up falling by the wayside before February 1st. Which begs the questions, “How are you doing so far?” and ”How do plan on staying committed to your 2009 goals?”
So in the spirit of staying on track, let’s recap some of the concepts we’ve touched on in the last month that can really help you to go for it 100% in 2009 –and beyond:
Decide what you want. This sounds self-evident, but it’s really important. If you have no idea what the target is, it will be REALLY difficult to know if you’ve hit it. Spend some time thinking about what’s currently bugging you about your life. What is it that is holding you back? Not satisfying you? What areas do you want to see measurable improvement in by the end of this year?
Want what you want. Not to sound like Ayn Rand (although I adore her writings) but you have a right to want what you want. It doesn’t matter if anyone else understands it, or agrees with it. It doesn’t even matter if you fully understand why you want it. Unless you are infringing on the rights of another, you have a right (and some philosophers would argue a moral obligation) to go out and get it.
See what you want. Here’s the fun part…virtually all experts in the areas of self-improvement and human potential say the same thing. To have something in your life, you need to first see it in your mind. The poet, Carl Sandberg said, “nothing happens unless first a dream”. You need to use your imagination to see what the victory is. Imagine achieving your goal in all the detail you can muster. Who is around you as you celebrate that moment when you know you’ve made it? What do they say to you? What do you say to them? Where are you? Fill it in with enough rich detail as possible — and run that “movie” over and over in your mind. Not only will you have the joy of experiencing your dream in advance, but you will begin (on some level of your consciousness) to believe that this is real…and that it is coming to you even as you move forward toward it. Hold on to that image long enough and you’ll be living it before you know it.
Take steps towards your goal every day. Commit to doing something, at least one thing, however small — EVERY DAY. A phone call, a 15-minute yoga break, 10-minutes of research on the net — whatever it is. Every small action takes you one step closer to your goal AND reminds you that you are keeping your promises to yourself.
Commit to people who aren’t going to let you off the hook. I have a few close pals who really keep my “feet to the fire” pushing and prodding me to follow-up on and do the things I say I want to do. In fact, many times when I am feeling less than motivated, it is only the image of having to tell those friends that I didn’t do anything that gets me moving to do at least SOMETHING that I can report back.
Share your dream with someone you trust. There is something incredibly powerful about hearing yourself say what you REALLY want to another person — and knowing that they want it for you too! Better yet, if you really what to have some fun…have your friend(s) say what your dream is back to you…in the present tense as if it had already happened…It’s very exciting and it feels even more real!
Anthony Robbins, quite possibly the greatest living expert on goal setting and achieving, says that human beings need to be constantly challenging themselves in order to be happy. That in life you are either growing or dying in terms of your development. Staying stagnant is a slower death, but its a death just the same. Goal achievement expert, Bob Proctor, says that we are either in “a state of creation or a state of disintegration”.
The more I learn about this stuff the more that I agree with both of them. So Carpe Diem, everybody…hey, let’s ”carpe” the whole freakin’ year. Get out there and make it happen!
Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is an exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer, author of Fit + Female: The Complete Fitness and Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type and the creator of The Best Me Ever, a comprehensive weight loss and wellness system just for women. It’s a first of its kind program designed to fit into a busy women’s life. Lose weight and look great — 90 Day Unconditional Money Back Guarantee!!
