So what is your goal? Maybe you have more than one. How do you achieve your goals in 2019? Most of us set goals for our lives or talk about achieving the things we want in life. This time of the year we start reflecting and even make New Years’ resolutions, however, I am not a big fan of making New Year’s Resolutions.
The other day I was listening to John Maxwell and he has a Rule Of 5 For Life. He uses this every day to accomplish his goal of writing books. As I reflected on John Maxwell’s Rule of 5, I realized as a certified health coach, I use these 6 steps to help my clients stay on track. You can use these steps for a goal that you want to achieve in the new year!
This may not be new to you but sometimes we need a reminder.
1. What Do You Want To Accomplish?
First, you need to decide what it is you want to achieve or accomplish? Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to write a book? Do you want to become a better cook? Do you want to create more family time during the week?
Figuring out what you want to accomplish might be the easiest part. The next step is you need to know YOUR WHY.
2. Know Your Why
This is where you need to dig deep and figure out WHY do you really want to accomplish this goal or dream. How will it change your life? Will it even change your life? Your WHY becomes your motivation.
Knowing Your Why will help you to achieve the goal you want by helping you to stay inspired. Writing out Your Why and coming back to it when you get off track or discouraged will help you get back where you need to be.
For instance, if my goal is to lose weight, let’s say I want to lose 5 pounds. I need to know My Why. So I decide My Why is that I will feel better in my clothes. Is this enough to keep me motivated for my goal?
What about if I have 30 pounds to lose and My Why is that I think it will make my husband and children proud of me? Do you think this will motivate me?
If we are striving for something we cannot do it for others. We have to do it for ourselves. We have to realize how it will affect us and not count on other’s to be happy with us because we reached our accomplishment.
The people pleaser in me used to look to others for validation that I had done a good thing. But the truth is, you cannot count on others to react like you want them to. It is not their fault. They may not even realize that you are doing it for them.
So here is the thing. Find Your Why for YOU. If you really want it you must have a reason and what is that going to look like when you achieve your goal? Write it down. You will need this along your journey to accomplish whatever it is you have set out to accomplish.
Once you have Your Why you can move on to the next step, finding the right tool.
3. Finding The Right Tool
You know what you want to achieve, you have Your Why, now you need to have the right tool to accomplish this goal. A tool helps you to implement or achieve your goal.
So how do you find the right tool? The best way I have found is to ask people you trust or maybe even start googling whatever it is you want to achieve.
If we go back to the example of losing weight, then you need to find the right program to help you lose the weight. This may take some research. Everyone is different.
Now, we all know there are so many promises out there on how to lose weight quickly, even while you are sleeping. I always tell people if it sounds too good to be true. It probably is. And really, if it was that easy everyone would be at their ideal weight, especially Oprah.
There is not a pill, a supplement or even a shake that is going to help us reach our ideal weight and stay there for a lifetime. A “diet” may work for the short term but can you maintain it for a “lifetime”.
Learning a lifestyle of eating real foods is the key.
Most of the time it is not just learning to eat the right foods at the right time in the right amount, it is learning why we are eating? Are we actually hungry? Are we lonely? Maybe just bored. This is what I address in my BALANCE Program. We look at many aspects of your life.
Ok, now you have figured out the right tool, next, we have to stay focused.
4. Staying Focused
Staying focused on this ONE accomplishment is important. Take ONE thing at a time.
We will go back to the example of losing weight (if you have set that as your goal). Then this is where you should focus your attention until it becomes your way of life or at least primarily your way of life. We all have slip-ups.
It takes focus to follow through on a daily basis which leads us to our next step, consistency.
5. Being Consistent
Consistent means constantly adhering to the same principles. That means practicing those principles on a daily basis.
Continuing with the example of weight loss, I practice intermittent fasting on a daily basis. Each day I practice it. That doesn’t mean that I am successful every day with it, but every day that I practice I get better and my bodies adapta.
I love what John Maxwell says, “consistency compounds just like money in the bank.” So the more we practice that principle the more it becomes a habit or lifestyle.
“Diets” work until you are off of a diet. To actually lose the weight and keep it off you need to learn strategies in nutrition and fitness and then practice those strategies daily. In my BALANCE Program, I take it one step further and hold you accountable.
Now you have all the steps except the last one, DON’T QUIT.
6. Don’t Quit
This is the most important step. Remembering Your Why and going back over it, again and again, will help you to stay focused and consistent. But you also must have the right tool to help you.
Have you ever found yourself wanting to achieve something but when it got uncomfortable or hard to do, you just quit? I have done this before. Before I finally lost those pesky 10 pounds, I started and stopped so many times. I had my why but I didn’t have the right tool in place to help me.
Taking the time to go through each step one by one will lead you to accomplishing that goal you set for yourself.
So what are you wanting to achieve in your life for 2019? If weight loss is your goal or becoming healthier in all aspects of your life is something you would really like to achieve then click follow the link to check out my BALANCE Program.
I would be honored to help you achieve your goals for 2019.
