No Resolutions Yet?
Don’t panic…
We are more than half way the first quarter, and for some, you might be wondering,
"What happened to my new year's resolutions?"
Don't panic or beat yourself up [at least not yet]
A little bird tells me that the reason you made resolutions in the first place was because you desired to be better, to make progress, and to grow.
Be Better. Make Progress. Grow.
Here is how you can up your game and get the ball rolling, into achieving your goals.
1. Break down your goal into small tasks
If you would like to run 10kms smoothly by the end of the year;
- Start by walking for 30 minutes everyday
- Then add some brisk walking for 30 minutes every other day
- Choose a day in the week when you can jog 2kms
By doing this, you are building momentum and creating a routine.
Now, I used the numbers on purpose - to quantify the goal to easily track daily, weekly, and monthly progress.
Let me introduce you to the SMART approach which will help you understand better ⬇️
S - Specific - Know what exactly it is, that you want and put a figure to it. Look at this as the specifications of what you want as an end result in the foreseeable future.
e.g Run 10kms by December, 2024
M - Measurable - Quantify your goal or daily tasks with the figures assigned.
e.g Take a 30 minutes walk twice a week | Jog 2kms once a week.
It shouldn't be vague. One should be able to know what they are going to do, when they are doing it and how they are doing it.
A - Achievable or Attainable - Be aware of what you can do and set your goals accordingly. For example; If the goal is to win a gold medal in 2024 during one of the global marathons.
Is it possible? - Yes. Is it Realistic? - No.
Here is why ⬇️
▪︎ You probably don't have experience running long distances
▪︎ Athletes take years training their bodies for marathons and you want to do it in less than 8 months?
▪︎ It is part of their lifestyle, their diet, their training schedule and routine is filled with long hours of training
Are you being realistic?
R - Relevant - The reason people set goals is because something directly concerns them or it aligns with their values.
Whatever the case, there is usually a personal story and interest towards something.
This interest or alignment to values can also be a motivating factor to achieve one's goals.
T - Time bound - Think of it as a project. Projects can be both short term and long term. There's a beginning and an end to everything.
So whether it takes 1 week to accomplish or 10 years, attach a time aspect. It will help to measure progress if you are on schedule or behind schedule.
2. Get accountability e.g join a book club, a running club, or ask someone already ahead in that area of interest for help.
The more you surround yourself with people on the same journey, the load becomes lighter. You learn new ways or even insight on different approaches towards a point of interest.
Accountability is not only a space of learning and growth, but it also positions you in an environment to sharpen your skill/talent.
It will be almost impossible for you to give up on achieving your goals, when you are talking to someone else about it. Because chances are, they will always ask about the progress made.
3. Schedule time for it and create a routine around that time.
We all have other aspects of our lives that demand equal attention from us. Which means we've got to plan for our time and schedule for the things that matter to us.
This can easily be done by creating a priority list and following that accordingly. [Refer to my article on "The Urgency Trap"]
I have seen people that block off particular times, every week and focus on an area of interest. They have realized that it is easy to get consumed by the demands of life, so they are intentional about setting aside time to achieving their goals.
4. Discipline. It is going to take breaking barriers, especially mental barriers to achieve what you want.
You will not be motivated every single day. There are days you will not want to show up but you'll have to, because you have built the resilience.
This is where 2 & 3 come in handy. Because you have scheduled time for an activity, and you have a community you are accountable to, you are slowly growing into disciplining yourself.
5. Reward yourself.
For the small wins and progress made every step of the way.
Don't be hard on yourself. Start small [with chewable quantities] that will not overwhelm you.
- Be sure to track progress, get an app that can do that, keep a journal, or whatever works for you.
That way, when you make progress, it will be evident not only with the tracking, but also the results.
Remember, the goal is; Be Better. Make Progress. Grow.
