Not Knowing Your Why 
Focus on why your goal is important to you. If your goal is to get in better shape, figure out why you want to get in shape. Is it because you want to live a healthier and longer life, to increase your energy, or to feel more confident? The more specific you can make your goal the more likely it is that you will succeed.


No Accountability

Be sure to surround yourself with people who are going to encourage you, support you, and motivate you to make a change for the better. Find someone who has either already achieved the goal you are seeking or someone who wants to join you on the journey.
Having support creates accountability which is key for success. Tips? Post a status on Facebook asking if your friends would like to be your gym or accountability partner. If you know a co-worker who shares your goal, try to coordinate your lunch time and go out together so you’ll be more likely to make positive decisions. Join a Facebook support group of other passionate people who share your same goals. Teamwork is advantageous, so find people you can rely on and use strength in numbers to help you succeed.

Poor Time Management

Sometimes after jotting down a resolution, you realize it may be a bigger time commitment than you’d originally intended. In other words, have a plan. Don’t commit to a resolution knowing you have no plan in place to actually accomplish your goal. Instead, create an action plan that will help you to achieve your goals. Tips? Make a calendar and break up your long term goal into monthly, weekly, and even daily goals. That way, you are working towards an immediate goal and the results you achieve each month, week, or day will encourage you to keep moving towards your end game.

Financial Burden

Oftentimes, people give up on their resolutions if the goal poses a financial burden. For example, if the goal is to lose weight, sometimes the cost of a yearly gym membership is not feasible. Tips? Get creative and try to find less expensive way to complete your goal. Purchase a workout program you can do from home or find a walking buddy and use Mother Nature as your gym. There are plenty of ways you can exercise and work out without attending a gym.

Created Unrealistic Goals

Be cautious not to create a goal that is so unattainable that you set yourself up for failure before you even begin. Instead take it one day at a time. Set a goal that is achievable within the time frame you set for yourself. Resolutions require us to make some type of change. Once you select a resolution- commit to it and stick with it.

Not Believing in Yourself

Something really amazing happens when you start to believe in yourself. I mean really believing you can achieve the goal you set out to conquer. Your body starts to respond to that belief. Self-doubt and negative self-talk will cripple your goals every time. Don’t beat yourself up if you do not reach your goal immediately. Instead reward yourself for making the effort and believe that you will in time achieve what you initially set out to do.

Not Tracking Progress

Whether you use a fitness tracker like MyFitnessPal or you keep a hand written journal, keeping record of your progress will help you keep a positive attitude. The more you tell yourself you cannot have a certain food, the more your body is going to want to crave it. If you slip up, that is okay- your goal the next day is to do better than the day before. The improvements you begin to see each day by tracking your progress will encourage you to meet your goal.

Not Enough Action

Sure, your list of New Year’s resolutions might look pretty good on paper and contain every single little thing you would like to change about yourself and your life but the point is to actually do something about it! You have to commit to taking action. Simply saying or writing down your goals is not enough. Put your plan to action and achieve your goals by hard work and mental toughness, not by simply saying you wish things were different.

You See Achieving Your Goal as a Chore

If you are too focused on your end goal to really enjoy the process it is going to be more difficult to succeed. For example, if you see going on a 30 minute walk or run as a dreaded chore, you are more likely to be unmotivated and uninspired. Instead, find an activity that doesn’t cause a huge interruption to your daily routine but incorporates some fun, something you can look forward to. The goal is to remove the extra stress in your life, not to add to it. Make getting in shape fun if that is your goal. When January is approaching, everyone is talking about resolutions and it is on the forefront of our minds. Then February rolls around and the resolutions you made the month before are no longer on the top of the priority list. Tips? Set fun checkpoints or targets throughout the year to keep yourself on track and use positive reinforcement to keep your momentum going.

Don’t Trust In the Process

Yes, making a change is a process. If you really want to lose weight, you need to make a lifestyle change and get away from quick-fix diets. Instead of following an extreme exercise plan that bans anything fun, add one positive change per week. Small changes are less intimidating so the new habits are more likely to become part of your daily routine. You cannot change your entire life overnight. Tips? Ask yourself, “Are you really committed to making the change?” Whether it is running a marathon for the first time, losing weight, or whatever your goal is-be honest with yourself and make the decision to trust the process. Make resolutions you truly desire to achieve and are actually going to put a plan of action towards. Not just a list of things to achieve because it sounds good or someone else thinks you should. Remember, if it was easy you would have probably completed it already.

According to Statisticbrain.com, the number one New Year’s resolution that people typically make is to lose weight. On average only about 8% actually achieve their resolutions. Make 2016 the year you succeed.

Comments

comments