Happy New Years everyone! What are you going to do to make 2014 your best year yet?!
It’s a new year, which means you probably have a list a mile long of all your resolutions for 2014, as so many of us do. Coming up with the list is no problem, it’s sticking to it after the excitement of a new beginning has worn off a little that requires the elbow grease and, if you’re like me, can sometimes prove to be an insurmountable task.
But is it really all that daunting to stick with it? Or perhaps, is it our approach to our resolutions that need a little work so that they’re easier to accomplish? I think so. Therefore, this year I will be using the suggestions outlined below to keep myself motivated throughout the next twelve months so that by the time the next New Years rolls around, my list will be shorter!
Regardless if your goals regard work or your personal life, these tips can help you check them off your list:
- Choose wisely. Remember that mile long list? It’s probably a good idea to whittle it down to fewer, and therefore more manageable, items. Pick the ones that really mean the most to you and start with them. As you get closer and closer to your accomplishment, the significance of the goal will act as a motivator for you. You can always add more goals if you run out!
- Build team effort. Whether in the office, or at home, build a support team around you who will encourage you along the way. Ask for help, if needed. Share each little triumphant step you take to success. Their assistance and/or general support can keep you going when things look bleak as well as help build stronger relationships because they will feel good giving you the support you need. It’s a win-win.
- Don’t get discouraged. It probably isn’t going to be easy. That’s why it isn’t the first time so many of our 2013 resolutions have appeared on the list. But we make these goals because they mean something to us, which means in itself that they are worth the effort it takes to see them through. The hiccups you encounter, and overcome, are probably going to be the most significant moments you remember about your achievement. So stay strong and ride them out!
- Reward yourself. Each step towards the attaining that goal deserves a huge round of applause, so don’t forget to congratulate yourself often! Recognizing your own perseverance is also another great motivator. And, as stated previously, share with your support team so that they may celebrate with you!
- And lastly, succeed! You developed a manageable list, you surrounded yourself with encouragement, you put up a fight with any and all set-backs that reared their ugly heads, you congratulated yourself often, and you made it! Your goal(s) have been met!
So, what’s next?!
Jessie Williams, Marketing Coordinator