Surely we are not talking about 2013, we haven’t even got through Christmas! Yet it is because we are so busy at the Christmas period that now is a good time to think about the new year. Many of us use the New Year as a marker a place that we use to take stock and challenge ourselves to move forward by improving our outlook.
Yet before the decorations are taken down on the 6th many have already broken those New Year’s resolutions. Part of the reason for this is poor planning. We have decided to do something on the spur of the moment and have not been smart in choosing our resolutions.
So where do you start to become the new you, well you may already have ideas, stopping smoking is a commons choice, or exercise more. However, perhaps now is the time to take stock of the wider areas of your life.
The ideal of course would be a pentagon of value 5. If you are reading this, I expect you will find different scores for different areas. It should suggest to you the areas you want to concentrate on.
Next you should take a few minutes to write down what would improve your selected areas. How will your life be different? How will you feel after the changes? Visualise that change really see the difference it will make.
Next choose 2 or three of these goals. Which achievement will make you happiest. Having selected that make sure that you will know how you have achieved the goal so not “to drink less” rather “ to drink no more than 3 times a week and not more than 3 drinks each time”. The first of these is vague and easily manipulated. The second is measurable so that you can check on progress.
You might choose a stretch goal, instead of get fitter; I am going to run the London marathon. Which is fine, but it may be better to have small goals leading to it. I am going to run 20 miles per week or similar.
Having got this far you really need to go through a process of ‘sore thumbing’ them and by that I mean look at them from a distance to see if any aspect of it sticks out like a sore thumb. Perhaps you have scheduled gym sessions for every morning, leaving yourself little time to get out for work. You are looking to see if there are any environmental reasons that might prevent you achieving.
Finally set a time that you are going to review to see if you have achieved the goal. For example I will have lost 3ponds by the end of January.
Whatever you decide to do, I know that some planning before you start will give you the best chance of success.