The New Year offers us a new beginning, a chance to wipe the slate clean and start again with new intentions, new direction and new enthusiasm. Its why many of us will resolve to lose weight this year, just as many did at the start of last year.
You could look upon New Year’s resolutions as a socially acceptable form of goal setting. But after the initial motivation wears off, we are often left with procrastination, excuses, guilt trips, and in most cases a resolution that is quickly forgotten by February.
Aren’t you tired of making the same old vague wishes that are too easy to put off when the holidays are over? Don’t just dust off the same resolutions from last year.
What I propose for this year is something different.
A new approach that clears all the mental clutter and offers hope for a better, healthier future. My New Year’s resolution is to not have any resolutions.
This year I want one simple goal, a single behaviour that helps me achieve lasting change.
It has to be an action, rather than a result. For example, an action is to exercise every second day, while a result is to lose weight. If you focus on the action, you are working towards achieving a result, while focusing on the result is just daydreaming.
The goal needs to be achievable. Last year I set myself an action based goal to do chin ups every second day. The result I was seeking is to maintain and build upper body strength for tennis.
This all seemed to be working well until I went on holidays, only to find chin up bars hard to come by. I ended up injuring my arm exercising on some playground equipment that was not really designed for chin ups. So I was on the right track, but I didn’t quite think it through enough. Yes, it’s good to know what the result is that you are seeking, and the action you need to take to achieve it. But it’s also important to think about what behaviours you can fit into your life that are challenging yet achievable.
Write them down, and get started.
Your goal is more likely to be achieved when its written down. This is where the Blackmores website wellbeing goals are so helpful. You can write down and make public exactly what your health and wellness goal is.
I’m off to change my Blackmores wellbeing goal to perform pushups every second day this year (which I can do anywhere without the need for equipment – or playgrounds).
What’s your wellbeing goal for this year?