I was settling into my “Comfy Chair” with a diet pop and a bowl full of tortilla chips, and my wife called out: “Joel, I thought you made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight?” “Will tortilla chips help you to lose weight?” I thought for a moment, plain tortilla chips with a diet pop. I replied: “Maybe?” It is time for a reality check on keeping one’s New Year’s Resolution; 1 of 4 Quit within the first week. 43% fail before February, and only 9% successfully keep their New Year’s resolutions. The most common New Year’s resolution in 2022 is to live healthier.
Why do most people fail? Lack of accountability, something in writing, and tracking their progress. Many Goal setting books and workshops suggest that we break up our goals into smaller steps that are easier to attain. For example: if you want to lose 100 pounds, consider setting a plan to lose 15 pounds, and then when you have achieved that, set another goal to lose 15 more pounds. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
A goal that is not written down will often fail. There is something about a written goal that helps to keep us accountable. Another good idea is to place sticky notes around to remind you of your goal. And as you make progress towards achieving your goal, reward yourself with a sticky note! I learned of one sales organization that installed a large brass bell in their office.
As each sale was made, the salesperson could ring the bell. Very motivating for the one that made the sale and the entire staff!
When setting goals, it is critical to set reasonable and attainable goals. Each step of the way to attaining your goal can be fun. Rewarding yourself builds upon its own success. It’s okay if you do not achieve the success you’re looking for, you can always take a break and try again. There are many examples of famous people who had failed many times before they tasted the sweet taste of success. Henry Ford’s first 2 companies failed. He went bankrupt 5 times before finding success. Albert Einstein couldn’t speak until the age of 4 and was expelled from school. JK Rowling was a struggling single mom living in absolute poverty, living on government welfare, when she wrote her first Harry Potter Book! Now she is one of the wealthiest women in the UK. The list goes on: Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison. Michael Jordan was cut from his High School basketball team!
One key to success is to be resilient! Be pleasantly persistent in attaining your goals. We are not perfect! We are human! If your goal is truly worth achieving, reasonable, and attainable, keep trying! Do not be hard on yourself! Love yourself and improve a little every day!
“Remember, every day is a gift! Some are just a little more fun to open than others. – © Joel M. Vernier 01/01/2023 Author of: “The Guinea Pig In The Freezer.” joelmvernier@aol.com
