Its 2013,
the New Year resolutions are set. The gyms are full, the fad diets have started
and everyone says this year will be different. But I’ve heard it all before and
that’s because I used to be one of those people that made those ridiculous New
Year resolutions that lasted nothing but a week or two. This year though, I’m
doing things differently; rather than make those New Year Resolutions, I’ve set
goals and strategies that WILL make 2013 the best one yet.
The New
Year to some is just another day which honestly it is; but if you’re anything
like me, I see it as a clean slate, the beginning of a New Chapter and 365 days
to get it right. Every year I say "This year is going to be better, it’s
going to be my break- through year” but I don't do anything out of the ordinary
to make it better - I do the same things and expect different results. But 2013….
I'm changing it up; I’m stepping outside my comfort zone, conquering those
dreams and facing those fears I have and even if I fail, guess what? I know I tried.
A lot of
people including myself have a fear of failure and what I’ve come to realize is
fear can be both Healthy and Unhealthy. Healthy fear for
example gets you out of the path of impending danger while Unhealthy fear is
F.E.A.R - false evidence that appears real which is mostly a fabrication of
your mind to keep you imprisoned. Overcome this unhealthy fear, and you will
wake up to a different perspective on life. Failure on
the other hand is nothing but a process of
finding out what doesn’t work and what course of actions to not take the next time
around. It took Thomas Edison more than 999 tries to invent a light bulb so why
do people like you and I think it will take us our first attempt to accomplish
our dreams or whatever else we set out to DO? The truth of the matter is, we
need to start thinking like scientists. They go into the lab to test whatever
theories they have and HOPE it works yet leave room for failure. If the experiment doesn’t work they keep tweaking
it till they find what works but they NEVER give up. We can succeed at ANYTHING
we set out to accomplish so far we keep DOING and not give up regardless of
what challenges we face.
It’s time
to do something different from your norm, put away those New Year Resolutions,
step outside of your comfort zone and Make that BIG DREAM of yours your goal.
Write them down and place them where they are visible (Keep in mind, for a goal
to be effective it should be SMART, i.e. it has to be Specific – What
do you want to achieve? It has to be Measurable -, Can you measure your progress? It has to be Attainable
– is this goal realistic? - Are you trying to lose 50 pounds in 2 weeks, you
and I know that’s unrealistic so make
sure you’re not setting yourself up by setting unrealistic goals. Rewarding - You
want to buy that dream home of yours- which is why you work so hard but why?
Why do you want to buy that particular home? How will you feel while living in
it? The feeling you get on achieving the goal is the reward that will keep you
motivated in face of challenges and obstacles and prevent you from quitting.
Finally, it must be Time bound - There has to be a completion date and it must not be
too short or long, as it will make the goal unattainable. Time is one of the
prices that you are paying for the goal, and you must give it time that the
goal is worth. Setting deadlines will also insure you against procrastination
and perfectionism. If any of these ingredients are missing, it will not be
possible for the goals to fulfill their purpose.
I’ve
heard a lot of people ask why it’s necessary to write down goals and unfortunately it’s because we humans are forgetful
creatures. Something we think is important today becomes less important
tomorrow as new “important” things pop up but this is your DREAM; you have to
protect it. They are a lot of ways to do that for example you can place frames
or notes of your dreams and goals everywhere in your home (That’s what I've
done) it can be on your kitchen wall, your mirror, your car visor etc. You get
the gist, get creative and place your dreams and goals everywhere because, a
dream not worked on is nothing but that a DREAM.
As you
set out to conquer these goals and dreams, remember it won't be an easy task- it’s
going to be challenging and during those challenging times you might have
thoughts of quitting but as long as you don't, you WILL succeed. Keep finding
new and fun ways to achieve those goals- the idea is to
always be doing something till it pays off. Like Carrie Underwood said “There
will be God-Given opportunities no matter what field you're in. You just have
to recognize them and take them" and that's the truth, those opportunities
will come, you just have to be PREPARED, recognize them and grab them when they
show up because they will.
Have
a wonderful 2013 and make it your best one yet.
