Get & Stay on Track: 4 Tips to Set Yourself Up for Success in the New Year
We are a week into the new year. How are you feeling? Are you tackling your goals or resolutions with gusto? Or are you already tired? Do you even remember what or know where your goals are? If you’re anything like me, you’ve seen all the inspirational, pushy, edgy, guilt-inducing posts about your New Year’s goals, resolutions, and things of that ilk on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram and you’re already scrolling past these posts with the quickness because it already feels like too much. Does that sound about right?
Instead, let’s talk about a more sustainable approach. Let’s talk about four very easy ideas that you can use throughout the year that can raise your confidence, keep you motivated, and help you grow:
1. Celebrate Your Wins
We live in a culture that's heavily focused on grinding and hustling and this “can’t stop, won’t stop” attitude. This constant go-go-go mentality can drive you, but only to a point. After a while, it can be draining and devaluing because we don't take time to stop and be present with ourselves.
Why is it important to celebrate your wins? 1. It can be a source of daily happiness. When you get intentional about taking note of your wins -- big or small -- during the day, it can be a great reminder that you are doing something! You are making progress on or taking steps toward whatever it is you are looking to achieve. 2. It builds self-worth and self-confidence because you have proof that you are capable of doing something, so you want to raise the bar a little higher. 3. It serves as a motivator. When you see things getting done, it provides reinforcement that you are productive, and supplies you with the energy and the drive to keep going. 4. It helps you to see possibilities. It opens the door to thoughts, actions, and ideas that previously seemed impossible or were a block for you.
How can you celebrate your wins? It doesn’t have to be fancy. Grab a notebook, journal, notepad, or even a Post-it® and scribble any victory from the day. Keep a running tab of your daily wins or maybe even start an “awesome jar” to store all of your winning notes. You can easily dip into this reserve and read them when you need a little boost. Personally, I keep an “awesome jar” during the year and read them all on New Year’s Eve. It is so much fun to see what I accomplished!
2. Reflect on Your Challenges
What tripped you up last year? What caused you some stress? Are there already things that have come up this year that you want to do better? Take stock of the stumbling blocks, what you learned (or are learning) from them, and how you want to leverage them for success throughout the year. A word of caution, though. Don’t spend all your time reliving the stumble. All obstacles are an opportunity for us to learn and get it right the next time. Belaboring the point will keep you in a place of stagnation and kill your drive and confidence.
3. Set Quarterly Goals
Setting goals for the year is great. But often times, we set the goals and then forget them. They're written down somewhere or are in the back of your mind, rarely seeing the light of the day until the end of the year. Am I right?
Instead, break those goals down and put some specific windows for action around them. Make them SMART goals: Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Realistic. Time Sensitive. But realistic does not mean safe! Safe does not support growth. Challenge yourself. Give yourself some stretch goals to push your limits of comfort.
4. Get an Accountability Partner
A few months ago, I heard a fellow coach say that "nothing worth doing can be done alone." There are all sorts of quotes and proverbs that speak to the importance of leaning on your community to truly succeed. Several people I’ve come in contact with have shared that they need an accountability partner more than anything. It's not that they can't achieve the goals they set out to achieve, but if they know that no one is going to be checking in on them and their progress, they are less likely to take action. Let's face it, we all work hard during our days and the last thing you're thinking about when you get home from work is doing more work. Even if it's on something that is going to shift your life and shift it for the better. It's easier to stay comfortable, come home, sit on the couch and have a glass of wine or go brain dead watching TV. Having a partner to check in with will keep you honest and moving in the direction you want to go.
What other things do you do to set yourself up for success?