Top tips on how to make a New Year’s resolution with legs!
Claire Dunworth-Warby, a Personal, Business and Education Coach, discusses how to maximise your chances of making a resolution that will motivate you so much that your commitment lasts longer than the month of January.
Oh yes, it’s that time of year again! So, will you rush the whole process and just plump for the resolution you make every year and break every year; simply follow family and friends or perhaps listen to others who tell you the resolutions you should be making? This year, how about taking a little more time over it and laying down the foundations for success……
Here are some helpful tips to help you on your way:
- Understand what motivates you
We tend not to stick to resolutions when we are not particularly ‘engaged’ by them, ones which don’t really float our boats – we just think that these are the ones we ought to make. This is setting ourselves up for failure, so it is no wonder that these are the resolutions which tend to be abandoned within days or weeks, leaving us feeling guilty and weak-willed.
So how do we find out what motivates us? Ask yourself what gets you out of bed with a spring in your step and ready to go; is it the thought of making money? Working with people you like/respect? Wanting to be famous? Working for yourself? Finishing a project to the best of your ability? Going for promotion? Widening your friendship group? Doing something worthwhile for the community? Improving relationships or challenging yourself? The list of possibilities is endless. Allow plenty of time for this part of the process as it is time well spent on yourself.
- Tailor your resolution to suit what motivates you
Once you have sussed out an element of your life that you know you really, really want to work on or change, then this is the time to start actually formulating your resolution. Make sure that this resolution will get you where you want to be (in other words, check that this action will achieve the goal you want to achieve). It needs to be written in positive terms (e.g. I will…) and dependent on you taking action, not other people and their actions (that is out of your control).
- Break it down
To ensure success, break down the journey to reaching this goal into small steps so that you are not overwhelmed by it. Your success can then be measured incrementally and gives you regular feelings of achievement and making progress. In addition, give each step a date to be done by as goals without dates are just dreams!
So, I wish you all a happy new year and happy goal setting!
Claire Dunworth-Warby of Aspire Associates Coaching is a Personal, Business and Education Coach working with individuals and organisations one-to-one, over the phone or online and leading workshops across the UK. Training the trainers is also available.
For more information or a free taster session contact her on 01746 218298 or visit www.aspire-coaching.biz
