We all like to talk about "New year, new me". After all, the new years is the best time to shed your old skin, pick up new habits and become a brand new person! But how many of us have actually managed to stick through with our new year's resolutions?
Don't get us wrong — there's no shame if you haven't. In fact, it's such a common struggle that there are countless of memes about failed new year's resolutions every year.
After all, according to a study, only around 12% of people who make New Year's resolutions felt that they were successful in achieving their goals!
But what if we told you that there was a way to help you become part of that 12% this 2022?
What if you could finally seize the opportunity and make 2022 your year?
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It all starts with what new year's goals you set, how you set it and your mindset as you approach it. It's easier said than done, of course, but perhaps you'd like to give these 7 goal-setting tips a shot!
7 Tips on how to set new year's goals for success
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1. Set specific goals
A common mistake that many people make when setting their new year's goals is to set generic and ambiguous goals, such as "I want to lose weight" or "I want to become more productive."
These are great and all, but they're so ambiguous that it's so easy to lose motivation! Instead, you should set specific goals. Even better if you can quantify them -- for example, "I want to lose 5kg in 2022" or "I want to pick up 3 new skills this year".
A specific goal is much easier to focus on and ensures that you have a concrete destination to work towards!
2. Identify clear action steps
After setting a specific and realistic goal, you should also take time to draw out some action steps and a detailed plan.
When you try to work towards a goal with no actionable plan, it becomes much easier for you to give up and make excuses, especially when you run into setbacks or obstacles.
But with a detailed plan, you can make plans on how you can work towards your goal, and how you can tackle any obstacles that come your way. This ensures that you stay accountable, while also making your path to success a lot smoother!
3. Start small
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Trying to do too much too quickly is a surefire way to both burn and bum yourself out. Instead of aiming straight at your goal, come up with tiny steps that will ultimately help you reach it. Think of the process as a climbing a staircase, with your new year's goals at the top of it.
For example, if one of your new year's goals is to run a marathon, start slow by planning weekly, then daily, jogs with reasonable distances.
Even though it may feel like a slow start, this ensures that you build up momentum without getting demotivated too early.
4. Reflect & learn from past failures
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Mistakes are part of every journey, including your journey towards accomplishing your new year's goals! But it's important that you don't let these failures and mistakes get you down.
Instead, you should learn from these mistakes and find ways to avoid repeating them. Rather than dwelling on them and beating yourself up, you should find ways to turn your mistakes into important learning opportunities.
5. Start only when you're ready
Many people make the mistake of forcing themselves to work on their new year's goals on January 1st. However, you should really only start when you're ready — whether that means starting in February, March or even halfway through the year!
Starting on your own time and terms ensures that you're more prepared for the challenge laid ahead of you. Make the preparations you need and make sure that you're well-equipped to see their goals through!
6. Track your progress
Reviewing and tracking your progress is an important way to keep yourself motivated and accountable. When you're able to see how much you've done, you'll be able to see how far you've come. Plus, you'll also be able to see if you're heading in the right direction, and if any adjustments need to be made.
Consider using a habit tracker — like those in the Journey Digital Planner 2022 — to mark off the days you've stuck to your plans and to your goals!
7. Don't forget to reward yourself
Trying to achieve your goals can be a difficult process. After all, dropping bad habits and picking up new ones is much easier said than done. If you've been able to stick to your guns, you deserve to reward yourself for all the effort you've put in!
It will be useful for you to plan out rewards for each milestone you've set. For instance, arranging for a staycation after you've completed a marathon, or buying yourself a pair of new sports shoes after you've hit your weight goal.
Every new year is a new opportunity for you to start on something new. No matter how big or how small your goals are, we wish you all the best in achieving them and making 2022 your best year!