For the New Year's resolution sceptic: A six key blueprint to achieve any goal

Dear New Year's resolution Negative Nancy's, Debbie Downer's and Pessimistic Patty's (the voice inside your head who deters you from pursuing or achieveing your goal in light of doubt, judgement and fear),

Yes, this is a time of year that everyone joins the "new year, new you" bandwagon.

And I get that many of you don't want to succumb to the pressure of the new year's resolution race for fear that it's just a fad that will die out in the coming weeks and the achievement of your new goal will be lost in failure. Making new year's resolutions stick is painfully uncommon and I see people relating to it almost like a curse of doom and gloom. 

In reality, the difference between resolution doom and resolution achievement is a sense of commitment and the ability to choose moment after moment to re-commit to your goal. However, I know this also takes some clarity, support and a tool or two to help you along the way. And most of us don't have access to or awareness of that. 

That's why I'm sharing a six key blueprint for acheiving any goal. You could start a new goal or resolution any time of year but why not use the masse motivational energy of this season to catapult you onto the path you so choose. 

These keys have helped me start a business, complete intensive training programs, improve my fitness and get over any blocks and obstacles I've had along the way. These keys are not a tool with which to beat yourself up over what you have or haven't done. This is a tool to help you break a pattern and really change your game plan. More than anything, these tools have potential to change your life. 

1. Have Vision

What's a goal without a clear vision of where we're headed? When creating your vision, be clear on what achieving your goal will look like. Make it tangible. Your brain needs to know exactly what it's trying to accomplish. 

Even better, attach a specific time and date by when you will have achieved it. That will give yourself something to work towards and set the future in action. 

2. Discover your 'why' 

The secret component of any vision, however, is to also make sure you get deep into the reasons why you want to achieve this goal. (I wrote a post about this a few months ago: One Simple Idea That Will Inspire The Courage You Need To Follow Your Dreams.) 

What most excited you about this goal? What sits on the other side of any obstacles or fears you have around it? What will the achievement of this goal make available to you/others? What will become possible? 

It has to be something personal, emotionally driven and really connected with your heart. This will make it so exciting, attractive and compelling that you're virtually pulled towards it. This isn't a goal to fall victim to. When the going gets tough, these are the reasons that get you through. 

Review these reasons and feel them every day! 

3. Massive Action Plan

After having established your 'where' and 'why', you've given yourself enough reason to tackle the 'how' of getting there! 

Design your action plan from the future fulfilled backwards to the present. In coaching, we call this a 'Milestones' or 'results' plan. 

For example, if your ultimate goal is to lose 10 pounds by April 10th, your milestones may look like this:

April 10th: 10 pounds lost 

April 3rd: 9.5 pounds lost

March 27th: 9 pounds lost

March 20th: 8 pounds lost 

March 13th: 7 pounds lost

etc

Then, create a massive action plan that will have you reach your first milestone. 

Breaking your goal down this way will create a shift in thinking that focuses on a schedule to declare, practice and learn by rather than an outcome to perform by. So much more motivating and effective. 

4. Needle your pain points

Since most of us are more motivated by the avoidance of pain than the desire to gain pleasure, this step requires you to take a look at what the pain of not acheiving this goal would be. 

If you don't write that book, start that business, lose that weight or reach that fitness goal, what's it going to cost you? What's it going to cost you on an emotional, financial and relationship level? Remember, what drives us are our emotions, not just our intellect, so get into the feeling of that pain. 

At a deep level, most of us are pained by the fear of success, failure or rejection. 

Have a look! We want to make the prospect of NOT taking action more painful than the prospect of taking action. 

5. Bust up your mind set: grow, learn, achieve

We can take massive action, try harder, try less or even, change our circumstances and this will only get one so far. However, if you are in the business of sustainable change, then what's really going to make the difference is in your belief systems. It's what everyone says about the importance of mind-set. We want to create new and powerful ones. 

Practice shifting your mind-sets. Then, stick to this state of never-ending improvement and fulfilment will be possible. 

If you really want to get deep into this, read some personal development books or better yet, hire a coach. 

6. Accountability rocks

They say that accountability is what separates the super-successful from the mediocre. 

Both a coach, friend and a therapist hold me accountable to my goals and although it can make one feel protective if a particular action step hasn't been complete, it is also the simplest yet one of the most effective keys to implement. Accountability helps to both measure and accelerate your progress, keeps you engaged and holds you ultimately responsible for what you achieve. 

Assign your own accountability buddy with whom you'll create weekly, if not, daily accountability. 

Commitment to your goal through these 6 keys will have a powerful and catalysing effect on the achievement of your goal as well as breaking those New Year's resolution habits. For the implementation of every key, remember that change won't happen in one big moment but you'll succeed by your willingness to choose moment after moment to re-commit to your goal. 

Feeling motivated but aren't sure what goal or resolution to set for yourself? Message me here for your free sample coaching session to uncover what will most compel you.