Did you know that while 45% of Americans usually make resolutions, only 8% usually achieve their goal?* Not very good odds for those resolution makers. What can you do to improve your odds of success?
1. Make your resolution using measurable action words. For example, instead of lose weight as a resolution, say, I am going to lose 10 pounds during the first quarter of 2016.That way you can measure your success. Be explicit about what your goal means to you and what you see as the end result. “Helping Others in Their Dreams” can mean starting to fund a scholarship for needy students or it could mean renting musical instruments for needy children or it could be funding a homeless shelter. Be specific about what you want to do. If you are not sure, then maybe your goal is to Investigate and implement a way for me to help (needy students or children, or adults) by (volunteering or funding) a cause.
2. How are you going to achieve this goal? Break your goal down into steps that you can follow. For example:
a. I am going to weigh myself on Mondays and watch my progress
b. Instead of drinking soda, I am going to drink water and tea
c. I am going to walk for 30 minutes each day
3. Plan for roadblocks. You are bound to run into things/people that will make reaching your goal harder. Think about what those roadblocks can be and how you will handle them. For example, think about what you will do when you go to a party or there is a special day at work and there are an abundance of “treats”. How will you handle these occasions? If you think and plan for roadblocks, you will be ready when they happen and it will be easier to stay on course with your goal.
4. Just because you make one mistake, don’t give up. Just start over.
5. Plan a reward for yourself for reaching your goal. (If the goal is to lose weight, the reward is not food.) If your goal is big and it will have milestones along the way, give yourself rewards along the way. A reward does not have to be big and it may be that you find that reaching the goal is all the reward you need. But still it doesn’t hurt to be able to quietly pat yourself on the back and move on.
Our patients and readers mean the world to us and we wish you health and happiness in 2016.
Thank you from all of us at Evanston Podiatric Surgeons and Mag Mile Foot and Ankle Institute