3 minute read
Goal setting
Skip the resolutions this year and do this instead!
WORDS TANIA GOMEZ It’s the same cycle most of us face every January. Make New Year’s resolutions. Get excited. Lose interest. Break New Year’s resolutions. In fact a two-year University of Scranton study found only 19 per cent of people were able to successfully achieve their goals in that time frame. So here’s what to do if you genuinely want to make long-lasting changes.
Choose the right goals
Making value-based goals means choosing those based on what you genuinely want versus something you should do, life coach and Upstairs Coaching founder Alex Kingsmill says.
“If there is any ‘should’ lurking, ask yourself how you might tweak the goal to make it something you would actually like or love to do. Or consider ditching it altogether for a goal that is more intrinsically aligned,” Alex says.
Bridge the gap
Instead of broad resolutions, think of the new year as a time to home in on your goals.
“Consider the life you want and the life you’re living and then think about what is needed to bridge that gap — there is your goal,” Alex says.
If your goal is to change careers, instead of declaring you will change jobs this year, look at what needs to happen in between, she says. This could mean doing a course or talking to people in the industry you want to move into.
It is not “all or nothing”
Break it down
Creating sub-goals will allow you to feel progress, which is often a big motivator and confidence booster, Alex says. Also, try to celebrate your achievements along the way and reward yourself for a job well done.
Organisation is also key. An area where this works (and is a common New Year’s resolution) is when it comes to finances.
Charter Finance managing director Dean Perlman says this often starts with prioritising and then managing your goals.
Dean suggests creating long-term goals such as buying a house or going on a big trip, and short-term goals such as creating and sticking to a budget.
From this you can form a detailed plan that includes multiple steps and milestones, which will make it much more likely that you will be able to achieve that long-term goal.
Flip your thinking
Frame your resolution into a positive by thinking of the things you can do as opposed to those you can’t. When it comes to diet, instead of bold declarations such as “I won’t eat junk food this year”, take a more achievable approach, dietitian and Health and Performance Collective co-founder Chloe McLeod says.
“Think about all the things you can have rather than cutting things out, since when we cut things out it tends to make us crave them even more,” Chloe says. “Think about filling up the majority of your diet with healthy, nutritious foods to fuel your body, and allow yourself to have some of the less nutritious foods occasionally as well.
“Aim for practice over perfection,” she advises. Successfully achieving goals means being adaptable, and also forgiving yourself and moving on if you have veered off course.
It is something Flow Athletic director Ben Lucas says is important when it comes to setting goals around fitness.
“Make a simple plan and organise your workouts into a schedule that suits your lifestyle. For example, if it is easier for you to train on the way to work, do that. If the morning is better, set it for then,” Ben says.
“Tell yourself you will go three to four days a week, and walk on the other days. If you miss a session, do it on another day.”
Don’t do what you have always done
Work on a new approach if you have tried to achieve a particular goal multiple times but it has not gone to plan, Alex says. Clarify where things have not gone right in the past, then identify resources at your disposal that can help you achieve, and build a strong support network to help make your goals a reality. “Feeling bad about yourself won’t help you get where you want to go. Stop, recognise what went wrong, draw a line and commit to starting afresh,” she says.
HOW TO CREATE (AND KEEP) GOOD HABITS VISIT HOUSEOFWELLNESS.COM.AU
