While approximately 90 percent of Americans break their New Year’s resolutions by January 31, there are strategies to help you stick to your guns and make your goals for 2012 a reality. Consider these tips from life coach, Dr. Maya Bailey:
• Be clear and specific. Dissect general resolutions, such as “I want to be more successful,” to come up with the specific steps to reach that goal. For example, define what success means to you: More money? More time to spend with family? More notoriety? This will help clarify the necessary steps for reaching your goal, says Bailey.
• Confront your mental blocks. Ask yourself what blocks and obstacles you will have to overcome to reach your goals, advises Bailey, and take inventory of your own self-limiting beliefs. Uncover the beliefs that have historically blocked you from moving forward and replace these with new, positive thoughts right away.
• Determine where you need improvement. Once you’ve conquered your self-limiting beliefs, figure out which areas of weakness tend to hold you back from reaching your goals: Disorganization? Avoiding people? Lack of consistency? Sometimes our bad habits derail us from reaching our goals, so seek to strengthen such areas, says Bailey.
• Have a timeline and a plan. Declaring a resolution is a great first step but if you don’t put some parameters around it, such as a deadline, chances are high that it might never happen. A plan and a timeline build in necessary accountability to your resolution, Bailey explains. Consider enlisting a colleague, spouse or coach to help in the accountability department.
• Keep the prize in mind. Did you know that most top athletes mentally rehearse and visualize themselves performing at their best? If you’re really serious about manifesting what you want this year, take advantage of this important strategy, says Bailey. Picture yourself a year from now having achieved all your resolutions for 2012, ready to take on the challenges of yet another year. This positive mental image will serve as an important motivator throughout the year.
