How to Achieve Your Goals for 2017

If you’re like most Americans, you probably made some New Year’s resolutions. According to a report from NBC, some of the most popular ones are getting healthier, getting organized, and learning new hobbies…but most are forgotten about after a few weeks. For a lot of people, they start with unrealistic resolutions, don’t know how to manage their time and then give up easily.

I know how frustrating it is to set a goal and then completely give up on it. Fortunately, I think that keeping these three tips in mind can help you achieve whatever resolutions you’ve made for yourself this year.

1. Focus. To make sure your goal is motivating, write down why it’s valuable and important to you. Ask yourself, “If I were to share my goal with others, what would I tell them to convince them it was a worthwhile goal?” You can use this motivating value statement to help you if you start to doubt yourself or lose confidence in your ability to actually make the goal happen. Moreover, make sure that your goals are SMART:

S – specific, significant, stretching

M – measurable, meaningful, motivational

A – agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, action-oriented

R – realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented

T – time-based, time-bound, timely, tangible, trackable

2. Momentum. Goal setting is an ongoing activity. Make reminders in your phone or planner to keep yourself on track, and make regular time-slots available to review your goals. Your end destination may remain the same over the long term, but the action plan you set for yourself along the way can change significantly. Make sure the relevance, value, and necessity remain high.

3. Bloom. One of my favorite quotes is, “Learn to bloom where you are planted. Even if you find yourself planted under some concrete at the moment, look for the crack in the concrete to find your way out.”

And finally, don’t give up and no matter how fast or slow your progress is, make sure you take the time to celebrate the little victories! By utilizing these tips, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals in the new year.