Have you set yourself some 2015 resolutions? I suggest this year to create resolutions for yourself that are realistic and are tailored to you. Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” With that said, if you’re going to set goals, you are going to have to make some changes in behavior. SMART goals reap results. The acronym SMART stands for S (specific), M (measurable), A (achievable), R (realistic) and T (timely).
The typical old “I’m going to lose weight and hit the gym hard” resolutions are not going to cut it. It takes time to write out a strategy to achieve your goals. Be specific about what you want to accomplish. Write down actually what you want to accomplish and be precise about what you want. How are you going to measure your success? I like to keep a journal to write down what I’ve eaten and when I’ve worked out, that way I can self-reflect and look at what I’ve done well and what I need to work on. Set goals for yourself that are attainable and tell people about them. You would be surprised how some people will be willing to help you, or remind you of your resolutions when you’re acting out of line with the new behaviors. Be realistic about your goal. If you don’t like waking up early, be honest with yourself and do the activities you set out to do at a time that works best for you and your schedule. How long are you going to give yourself to achieve the goal you desire? Set short and long term goals. If you want to lose 20 pounds, you’re going to need at least six months to persistently work at attaining that goal. Once you get your goal, what are you going to do to maintain the lifestyle you’ve created?
Realize that you are going to slip up once in a while. Instead of berating yourself, look at the reason why you acted out against your goal, learn from the mistake and move on. Life is all about learning, we learn from all of our experiences. Have fun with your resolutions this year; do more of the activities you enjoy.
