Simple Guide to Setting Realistic Goals for the New Year

resolutions

 

The New Year is the perfect time to start fresh. If there’s any aspect of your life that you’d like to improve, set some clear and attainable goals for yourself that will help you get there.

Take It Slow

Work towards your goal one piece at a time. It’s important to take it slow and not take on too much at once. The main reason that some people fail when it comes to their New Year’s goals is because they fail to plan out a realistic path.

Follow Through With a Plan

It’s easy to say: “I want to lose 50 pounds” or “I want to learn a musical instrument.” Keep in mind that big goals like these will take some time and effort. Diets are hard to start because you may feel unmotivated or hungry. Musical instruments require time to master, and you may start with weeks of just learning notes before getting to any fun melodies.

Remember that the beginning is tough. Muster up the courage and enthusiasm to continue with your efforts. Remember that most people give up, but you’re not most people, are you?

You’re different because, unlike most people, you’re going to create a clear and realistic plan to take you right to success. If you’re going to lose 50 pounds, define how you’re going to lose those pounds. Are you starting an exercise routine? Are you going to join Weight Watchers or count calories?

You know that you won’t lose the weight quickly; it’s a steady loss that brings success. Even if you’re short a couple of pounds on one of your short-term goals, you can revise your plan and kick up the pace, or just continue on your path because you’ll reach your 50 pound goal before the year is out. That’s what you’ll be able to accomplish with a solid plan in place.

Be Real

You have to stay realistic when it comes to your New Year’s goals. The holidays are a joyful time, and often times you’ll feel motivated to achieve something big. Know that you can achieve big things, but there are also only 24 hours in a day.

Avoid making goals that would take more than a year to complete. If you want to make a long-term goal like this, break it up into parts and give yourself a realistic plan for your first year goal.

Visualize the Outcome

When you run into snags in the road, as you’re bound to in life from time to time, it will help to visualize yourself reaching your end goal. Visualizing it makes it feel real and motivates you to continue to work hard to make it happen.

The Right Attitude

If you’re practicing the right attitude, you can go far. It’s true that all you need to do is believe in yourself. You’ve probably realized that if you don’t believe that you can accomplish something, you simply won’t. How can you expect to achieve great things if you don’t believe in yourself?

An optimistic attitude is critical to your success. Think about how you felt when you first set your New Year’s goal. Chances are that you had an excellent attitude, so try to maintain that mindset throughout your journey to success with your goal.

Once you’ve determined a realistic goal and divided it up into short, achievable tasks, you’re bound for success as long as you take action to complete each step. Go ahead and make that New Year’s resolution, knowing that this year is going to be your most successful yet!

To your success

Michael

Michael W

 

 

 

 

P.S. If you are looking for more information on confidence and motivation you can join my Facebook groups Developing Confidence in Yourself or Confidence Coaching. For success articles you can join You Are Success Life Coach.

These groups will enable you to learn more about all aspects of confidence, motivation and success.

You can also contact me at michael@coachmichaelw.com to arrange a session to talk about what we can do together to make your life more successful.

 

Feature Photo by Breakingpic from Pexels

 

A Quick Guide to Setting Effective Daily Goals

goal-setting

Do you find it easy to set exciting goals, but you lose track somewhere along the way? As much as you want to lose weight or earn a promotion, you often find yourself back where you started. Setting daily goals may be your key to success.

Hang onto your long-term objectives but use short term goals to guide you towards your ultimate destination.  Find out more about the benefits of daily goals and how to use them.

Benefits of Daily Goals:

  1. Stay focused. It’s easy for your personal priorities to get buried under daily responsibilities. Short term goals help you to remember your purpose. Keep your dreams in sight while you earn a paycheck and take care of your family.
  2. Break it down. A daily action plan also makes big projects less overwhelming. You can pick out one or 2 worthwhile steps you can complete each day. Building momentum will help you to persevere.
  3. Create urgency. What happens when you have a whole year to do something? If you tend to procrastinate, a tighter timeline will help you to move forward.
  4. Adapt faster. Sometimes you need to revise your goals or change your strategy. When you’re operating 24 hours at a time, you can resolve conflicts before they grow into something more serious.

Using Daily Goals:

  1. Clarify your values. Goals that align with your core values will feel more satisfying and compelling. Take time to contemplate what you really want out of life.
  2. Leverage your strengths. Design your goals to take advantage of your talents and skills. Figure out what you like to do and what you excel at. Understanding your abilities will help you to aim for targets that are realistic for you.
  3. Think positive. Identify something you want rather than something you’re trying to avoid. Positive statements create more motivation and less anxiety.
  4. Take control. Outcome goals describe your desired end while process goals refer to the steps you take to get there. You may run into obstacles with becoming an Olympic athlete, but you can choose a sport, find a coach, and start training.
  5. Write it down. Make your plans more concrete by putting them in writing. You can use an app or paper and pen.
  6. Avoid distractions. Maximize your productivity by adjusting your habits and environment. Limit the number of times you check your phone each day. Clear the clutter off your desk and turn off the TV.
  7. Take breaks. On the other hand, some downtime is important too. Figure out a routine that works for you. Use your time off to shift your attention and move around.
  8. Learn from experience. Let setbacks teach you how to enhance your performance. Take responsibility for your decisions and focus on what you can do differently next time.
  9. Earn rewards. Giving yourself incentives can renew your enthusiasm when you feel like you’re in a slump. Pick a treat that you’re willing to work for, whether it’s a new pair of shoes or a week-long vacation.
  10. Reach out. Let others know how they can help you. Ask for constructive feedback and support. Look for a partner who is trying to accomplish something similar, so you can collaborate and hold each other accountable.
  11. Practice self-care. Protect your physical and psychological strength by keeping yourself fit. Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Manage stress and aim for at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

Just having goals can make you happier and more productive, so make it an ongoing process. Transform your life by setting daily goals and striving to reach them.

To really make changes to your life that last, you should engage with a Life Coach who can guide you through the process and also keep you motivated to move forward. To set up a 30-minute Primary Life Goals Discovery Session, where you will complete a discovery form with me, and receive it after the session, visit “Identify Your Primary Life Goal Discovery Session” to learn more and how to book a time with me. I am only taking 5 people every week for the sessions, so read the post and join now.

You are success

Michael

Michael W

 

 

 

 

P.S. If you want to learn even more about being successful, making changes that last and developing confidence in yourself, you can join the Facebook Group Developing Confidence in Yourself or You Are success Life Coach or my new group Confidence Coaching

 

Feature Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

Are you Focused on Making Progress or Maintaining the Status Quo?

making progress

Many people erroneously believe they’re making progress because they’re working hard. A good way to predict the direction of your life is to measure how much of your time you’re actually trying to enhance it. Then consider how much of your time is spent just maintaining the status quo.

Most people believe they want something better and are working hard to accomplish it. In most cases, they’re expending a lot of mental energy wishing, fantasizing, and worrying. None of these are reliable ways to enhance your life. What have you done this week that will take your life to the next level? If you’re like most people, you haven’t done much.

Change is challenging, because there’s uncertainty. Familiarity is comforting, even if you’re unhappy. Most people naturally gravitate toward the familiar even if they’re miserable. If you can become comfortable with the prospect of change, progress is easy.

Be brave enough to create the change you desire:

  1. Working hard isn’t enough. If you’re working hard on the wrong things, you’ll never see any progress. Effort matters, but only if you’re spending your time wisely. If you want to see real change, it’s necessary to spend time doing constructive things above and beyond what is required to live your current life.
  2. Have you learned anything new lately? Learning new information can help to create change, if you use the information. What are you doing instead of learning? Watching the same TV shows? You’re maintaining the status quo. New information leads to new understandings.
  3. Are you spending time with anyone new? Hanging out with the same people each day is another good way to ensure that nothing changes. New people can change your perspective and introduce you to new ideas.
  4. Are you doing anything new? The same gym workout repeated over and over again will ensure that you neither gain nor lose ground. The same behaviours deliver the same, reliable results.
    • Going into the same job and providing the same efforts ensures the same paycheck.
    • Thinking the same thoughts results in the same actions.
    • Same hobbies? No changes coming.
  1. What did you do today? At the end of each day, ask yourself two questions:
    • If I lived this same day over and over for the next 20 years, what would my finances, health, social life, and relationships look like?
    • Did I do anything today to take my life to the next level, or did I ensure that nothing will change in the future?
    • Write your responses in a journal. You’ll tire of not having anything interesting to write. You’ll spend more time trying to make a difference in your life. The answer to these two questions can predict the future better than you think.
  1. Do you have goals? Do you measure your progress? Goals are nothing more than desired changes. If you have goals and you’re making progress, you can expect to see progress in your life.
    • You’re choosing to maintain the status quo if you don’t have concrete goals. Any changes you experience will be due to random chance.

Most people claim they want a better life, but few are doing anything to make it happen. It’s easier to wish than to face uncertainty.

If you’re working hard but failing to gain any ground, spend some time each day doing something that will give you the chance to accomplish something new in the future. The more time you spend this way, the more progress you’ll make toward the life you desire.

To really make changes to your life that last, you should engage with a Life Coach who can guide you through the process and also keep you motivated to move forward. To set up a 30-minute Primary Life Goals Discovery Session, where you will complete a discovery form with me, and receive it after the session, visit “Identify Your Primary Life Goal Discovery Session” to learn more and how to book a time with me. I am only taking 5 people every week for the sessions, so read the post and join now.

You are success

Michael

Michael W

 

 

 

 

P.S. If you want to learn even more about being successful, making changes that last and developing confidence in yourself, you can join the Facebook Group Developing Confidence in Yourself or You Are success Life Coach

 

 

Feature Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Setting Goals for Success: 5 Tips to Define Clear Goals

goals

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Whether you want to set goals for your business or your personal life, defining clear, concise goals is very important. Without clear goals you can end up confused about what you want to achieve, and you may be putting yourself on the path to stagnation. Clear goals can give you tremendous momentum and intense purpose in your life.

Here are five important tips to help you to define clear goals in your life:

  1. Understand what you want to achieve. In order to define clear goals, your first step is to determine exactly what you want to achieve. If you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t figure out a route to get there.

    Once you know where you want to be and what you want to achieve, you’ll be able to come up with the goals that will help you get there.

    • Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
    • Take the time to sit down and brainstorm your long-term dreams and desires.
  1. Determine a timeline. Setting timelines will prevent procrastination and spur you on to action to meet your goals. Having a timeline for your goals also helps to clarify them because now you know what you want and when you want it!
    • Come up with goals that you want to meet in a month, year, and even five or ten years from now.
    • Make a plan that will keep you on track; however, don’t etch your plan in stone! Allow for changes along the way, but keep your eye on the main goal.
  1. Ensure your goals are realistic. With realistic goals, you can almost guarantee that you’ll be able to achieve them, and you won’t stress yourself out trying to accomplish something that’s out of reach. A clear goal is a realistic
    • Break your long-term goals into small, achievable action steps. Reaching multiple goals along your journey will give you a feeling of accomplishment and motivate you to continue.
  1. Be specific. Clarify your goals with the details of exactly what you want. Avoid vague generalities. When you make a specific goal, you’ll be better able to accomplish it.
    • Specific goals allow you to form your timeline and define your action steps. There’s no guesswork involved when dealing with specifics.
    • For example, “make more money with your business” is a vague goal. Come up with a specific goal, such as, “I will make $1,000 more per month, three months from today.” This goal is specific, measurable, and realistic.
  1. Refine your goals. Your goals may change as your life changes. During this process, you’ll be able to make them more specific, realistic, and achievable.
    • It’s okay to refine your goals several times in your life! What’s important now, might not be important to you six months or six years from now. Be willing to accept change. Revisit your goals from time to time and make new plans if necessary.

Some people flounder through life, unsure of their purpose or what they want to achieve. Don’t let this be you! Your life will have clear meaning if you put some thought into what’s important to you, what goals you want to achieve, and what actions to take to make your dreams a reality.


You have read about what you need to do to set big goals and you may be a little daunted by all that you read and all that you need to do. This is where a Life Coach can help.

You don’t have to set and achieve your goals by yourself, as was stated above, many people just don’t know how to set goals and monitor them to ensure that they are on the right track to attaining them. Sometimes you try to do too many things and get frustrated and quit before you achieve your goals. A Life Coach can help to keep you on track and continue to motivate you to keep working towards your goal.

You Are Success Life Coach has a “Goals on Fire Program” that can help you to set and achieve your goals in all areas of your life.

You can check out the program at Goals on Fire Program and make an appointment to talk with me to discuss the program.

Don’t delay, check out the program NOW. Nothing happens until you take action.

To your success

Michael

Michael W

 

 

 


 

P.S. Don’t leave this page until you check out the Goals on Fire Program. This could be the big step you are missing to achieving all of your big goals in life.