How to Achieve Your New Year Goals

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? As this is the start of a new decade as well as a new year, it seems now more than ever there’s a chance to regroup and begin afresh.

But what does your blank page look like? Will you be filling it with achievable things or are you potentially going to give up everything by February? If you really have high hopes for sticking to your goals, here are some tips to help you do just that.

Plan ahead

Most resolutions come in simple bullet points, but a list of things isn’t likely to be achievable unless you form a plan to go with each one. So, instead of deciding to ‘join the gym and get fit’, work out the steps you’ll need to do that.

For example, you’ll need to make sure you have the funds in place to pay for your gym. Also, which gym can you afford? Do you want to go to the one that offers the classes you like? Will you go to the classes?

By breaking things down in this way, you’re more likely to achieve what you set out to do.

Know how you’ll get there

The journey itself will need careful planning, too. If your goal is to see friends or explore other parts of the country, you’ll need to work out how you’ll do it. Getting a travel card will help you to travel by train from Clapham Junction to your friends in Thornton Heath or getting your bike fixed will give you the opportunity to get fit while travelling to your sister’s house on the other side of town.

Be realistic

If you know you’re not likely to achieve the resolution you have in mind, you can adapt it. Resolutions are hardwired to have a short shelf-life, but by updating them to a longer-term prospect, you are more likely to be able to achieve what you set out to do.

So, if you resolve to save up for a car but can’t see a way to save on the salary you have, try looking instead at your spending habits and seeing where you can start setting money aside that way. You’re looking for solutions to help you get there.

Break it down

Take baby steps. Transformations aren’t likely to happen overnight, so accept that and work out a timeframe and smaller goals to aim for within that timeframe. If you’d like to buy that car you’re saving for by November, take a look at what you can realistically save in a week or a month and take it from there.

Or if you want to lose weight by summer, again, take it slowly and set achievable targets to get you there. By taking it in stages, you’re more likely to get to where you set out to be in January.