How to Set INCREDIBLE New Year’s Goals

*****Be sure to check out my UPDATED 2016 GOALS WORKSHEET HERE! *****

So it is almost a fresh year…2015. Crazy, huh? It seems like this time there is lots of resolving to be better individuals: improve relationships, lose weight, pick up old hobbies, travel more. But realistically we all know that most New Year’s resolutions don’t make it to February.

Life gets busy. We fall into old habits. We stay comfortable. We forget. I don’t want that for me. And I don’t want that for you. So together let’s some incredible goals for the New Year!

It takes a lot of intentionality to SET GOOD GOALS. In counseling we were always encouraged to help our clients set S.M.A.R.T goals. “SMART” goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. So instead of resolving, “I want to lose weight” and leave it at that incredibly vague notion you dig deeper. Ask questions like: How much? By when? How will I know I’m making progress? Is this actually doable?  A smart goal takes “I want to lose weight” and changes it to….

“I want to lose weight. I want to lose 10 pounds by the end of May and another 10 by the end of the year. I will do this using MyFitnessPal, weekly weigh-ins and working out 5 times a week. I will form an accountability partner in my sister. I will reward myself with a $5 non-food treat for every pound I lose.”

It’s easy this time of year to zero in on fitness or health related goals, but I encourage you to SET DIFFERENT GOALS. You are more than a number on a scale, yes? So look beyond to setting goals that range from your relationships, to your finances to your job. I like to set 1-2 goals for 6 major categories in my life: Spiritual, Relational, Physical, Profesional, Financial and Personal. That may seem like a lot, but some of my goals are just continuations of things I’m already working on. (I’m an overachiever so I have definitely set 20+ goals for a new year at a time. Woops!) When in doubt, set less goals. I know, you want to do it all, and I fully support picking a wide range of goals, but if you are starting to feel overwhelmed pick three. Choose three and give them your all. 

PLACE YOUR GOALS SOMEPLACE PROMINENT. Preferably somewhere you can see them everyday, like your fridge or mirror. I often have good intentions on goals and literally just forget about them. That’s why I made the pretty printable above for you to use….. You can right click, download it as a picture, open it and print it to full page, write in your goals and post it on your fridge like me!  Sometimes we can get so caught up in the urgent things we overlook the important things. (An indirect quote from one of the best books ever, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People>>>read it!)

DECLARE YOUR GOALS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. So this year I want to run another half marathon. And I’ve told quite a few people already that I’m doing one…my husband, my friends, the blogosphere…I’ve even decided which one. By declaring it, I am being transparent and asking for accountability to be held to my intentions! Intentions minus actions equals squat!

BE ABOUT THE FOLLOW THROUGH. Our pastor said this during his sermon this past week and it really hit me! Saying it is great. Writing it down is even better. But if you never actually DO it….it counts for nothing. So get busy doing the work. I like setting monthly goals to help me break things down and then weekly goals on top of that and daily to-do lists (somedays) on top of that! You can only bite off so much at a time. Figure out what you need to do TODAY to accomplish your goal and then get it done!![tweetthis]Figure out what you need to do TODAY to accomplish your goal and get it done!![/tweetthis]

Tell me, what is one goal you have for yourself in 2015?

Do you set New Year’s resolutions? What’s the shortest resolution you’ve ever had?

I think mine was coffee  one year which lasted till about 9 am! 🙂

Linking up to the great gals at The Fit Dish today! Check them out for more healthy living inspiration!