It’s February. The excitement of your New Year’s Resolution has probably worn off by now.
You’ve already failed ten times on your new “life changing” diet. Your resolution to be more patient with your kids went to the wayside on day three when you walked into the hurricane they like to call their room.
So, you’re feeling down. 2015 is a ways away. What will you do for the next 10 months? May I make a suggestion?
Stop making resolutions and start setting goals.
What’s the difference?
Let’s use weight loss as an example. A resolution says, “I want to lose 30 lbs.” A goal says, “I want to lose 30 lbs. by July 31, 2014 and here’s how I’m going to do it.”
Resolutions are dreams in your head that never come to pass. Goals are something you make tangible before you. 25 percent of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions after one week, according to Michael Hyatt.
You have to get to the why behind your goal.
It’s easy to know the what. You want to lose weight. More specifically, you want to lose 30 lbs. Why?
Allow me to share one of my goals with you.
I want to pay off $3,000 of medical debt by December 31, 2014. My key motivation, my why, is because I want to be one step closer to financial freedom.
Here are some more motivations: Without debt I can start a college fund for Caleb, my little cousin. I won’t have to feel controlled by debt. I can teach others about financial responsibility. I could possibly write another book based on my experiences.
Keep your goals in front of you.
I consistently look at my goals. Sometimes more than once per week. I want to be reminded of the why behind my what. I track my progress. I look at my motivations and ask myself, What is getting in the way of my goals becoming reality?
At this point in my life $3,000 is a lot of money to pay off in one year, but it’s not impossible, especially if I keep remembering my why. Caleb and I often talk about his future plans and it’s a reminder to me that he’s almost 13 and I’ve got to get in gear if I’m going to help him with college.
Michael Hyatt, author, speaker, and goal expert, who has been a catalyst in helping me set goals and keep them, is someone I highly recommend you pay attention to when it comes to setting goals vs. making resolutions. Check out his course, 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever. The course is closed for now and I don’t know when he’ll open it up again. I can promise you this, it will open your eyes to the way you strive to make your biggest dreams come true in life.
What goals are you working on in 2014? Share in the comments below…