How to Win In The New Year?
We are currently in the second week of January, and like most people across the globe, I’ve got a long list of New Year Resolutions. I’m sure you’ve also set your goals by now. Whether it is losing weight, living a healthier life, saving XXXX amount of money, planning a family, traveling to a couple of destinations, cracking the big jackpot idea, it is all jotted down for this year.
But here’s the error code: More than half of the resolutions fail.
Know why?
As you reach the beginning of February, your motivation starts to fizzle, and even before you know it, you are off track, following your monotonous routine. And a few weeks later, you come across a stimulus that reminds you of one of your resolutions. It could be an Instagram story of someone vacationing in Greece or your colleague resigning from work to start her venture. That’s when it kicks in again, and you realize the amount of time you’ve lost by not sticking to your goal.
Now that’s the general pattern, but what is it that you need to do to break it and actually fulfill some of your new year resolutions?
Be Objective
A lot of us set resolutions without evaluating their objectivity. Some of these resolutions are based on what someone else is doing or what society wants you to do. For example, if you are in your 60s, losing 10 kgs and building muscle mass won’t necessarily make you fit. You need a realistic plan that suits your age, educational qualifications, income, residing country, etc.
Be Specific
Make clear resolutions. Saying “I want to be an entrepreneur” is too vague. You can write that as a resolution for the first two weeks of the year. But by the end of January, you must have a CLEAR IDEA. You must have identified the industry you want to enter, the funds you require to start the business, the sources to raise those funds, and other specific milestones.
Write It
Make sure you write down your resolutions. Note: DO NOT save them on your laptop or mobile phone. Use the old-school technique, and write them down in a diary. There’s a lot that we read online and on different electronic devices. Your new year resolutions need to give you a break from screen time. And remember, the resolutions you write in January aren’t the ultimate. You can keep scribbling on these goals, adding milestones, creating the plan, revising the steps to achieve the goals, etc.
For instance, if you join a gym to lose 5 kgs, but the gym shuts down due to COVID restrictions, you need to immediately devise plan B. You can either sign up on an online fitness platform or start following YouTube videos for working out.
Interestingly, my mind thinks of ideas, tasks, activities, goals throughout the day. I like to note them down immediately, irrespective of their size and importance. Writing them down on a sticky note and keeping that note in your cupboard or the fridge works as an effective reminder. If you’re thinking of starting something new and you come across an interesting insight that can change the way you position your brand, write it down. When you frequently read the facts/stats written in your handwriting, the thought remains on your mind as you figure out what you need to do next.
Let me give you an example. I’ve set a 52-week writing challenge, wherein I have to write one post per week. Now it is not very easy to come up with ideas every week, but since I’ve resolved to do this, I am taking note of everything I come across that can be of value to me and my readers. As soon as something clicks, I write it down on a chit. If I wasn’t doing that, I would have forgotten 40% of the ideas by now. And in just 10 days, I have about 8 different ideas, from which I can pick the one that is the best when I sit down to write.
So, try it. Write down every idea you think can be of value. You don’t know when you can start working on it, but if it’s written, you’ve taken the first step. Also, if you come across any inspirational quote that moved you, print it, write it, save it. Let it keep raising your morale over and over again.
Measure
If you have a fitness goal, it is easy to measure success. Just write down your week-on-week progress, and you know how well/how bad you are doing. But if you want to stop engaging in negative self-talk, place a sheet of paper in your pocket each morning. Each time you think negatively, tear a little portion of the paper. At the end of the day, see what’s left. After a week, write down what instigated you to think negatively? Was it an email you received from work? Was it something your friend or family said? Make sure you log the progress into a journal or make notes.
Revise
One of the biggest mistakes we make is not looking at our resolutions frequently. So, set a routine and read out the list of goals you’ve set. If there’s a goal you’ve not worked on in long, revising helps you to restart. If there’s a goal you’ve decided not to pursue, identify what made you leave it behind.
Incentivize
Lastly, make sure you celebrate every achievement. Even if it is as small as finding a new statistic that gives you more encouragement towards your entrepreneurship journey, reward yourself. If you were able to push yourself and do 20 reps of a particular exercise, get a bite of your favorite chocolate. (But remember, only a bite)
If you’re all set with your new year’s resolutions for 2022, I’ve shared some ways you can use to stick to them. If any other ways have worked for you, please share in the comments below. And if there’s any step that you need more support with, feel free to reach out. I’d love to be your accountability partner and take you through to a victory this year.