The new year is off and running and lots of resolutions have been made (and already broken!).
What are some of the things that are important to you in 2022?
Many people start off the year thinking about all the things they want to accomplish such as losing weight, bringing in more income, or taking more time off. It’s great to set goals for yourself, but it’s hard to stay motivated if the desired outcomes feel very far off or require a lot of work.
So what is a person to do?
Instead of asking yourself “what” you want to do, try asking yourself “who” you want to be
(a.k.a. your “personal growth goals”). This can take a little introspection.
Here are some examples of how to shift your thinking:
Wanting to lose weight may be the end result, but the real goal may be to become a healthier person, someone who has lots of energy and feels great.
Making more money may seem like the ultimate win, but what you might really want is to be a more financially responsible person, paying off debt, sticking to a budget, and putting aside money for your emergency fund.
Taking time off may be really relaxing and something fun to look forward to, but your ultimate goal may be to “recharge” so that you can become a more loving, giving person and connect with the important people in your life in a more meaningful way.
When you have a better picture of your personal growth goals, it’s easier to stay motivated, and here’s why:
Instead of each step merely getting you closer to a future outcome or a lofty goal, each step actually accomplishes an immediate goal - doing something that a healthier, more responsible, or loving, giving person would do. It's a subtle shift that can help you feel that whatever you are doing is making a real difference right away.
To help you think about your own personal growth goals, check out the "vision board" I created below. Feel free to use it as a guide or a springboard to help you think about what is important to you and the steps you might want to incorporate into your life.
Once you have decided who you want to be, there are several things you need to do, to set yourself up for success:
Choose a step that’s really small and doable. This way it doesn’t become overwhelming and it’s much easier to stick to.
Plan ahead to set up whatever you can to ensure that you can accomplish this goal - have things easily accessible to you, enlist an accountability buddy, and/or reward yourself for each small accomplishment.
Be consistent. Do it on a regular basis and at a regular time if you can, so that it becomes a natural habit.
Let's see how these steps look in practice:
David wants to be a healthier person. Here’s how he follows the list above to help set himself up for success:
David takes a small step by deciding to get up and walk around for 5 minutes every time he finishes a call from his home office.
He wears a Fitbit every day to easily track his steps and has a friend that is willing to be his accountability buddy, which helps him stay on track. David checks in with his buddy every night to let him know how he did that day.
David knows it will be easy to be consistent, because he regularly has a 15 minute break in between each of his calls and will have the time to walk around.
Sara wants to be a more financially responsible person. Here’s how she follows the list above to help set herself up for success:
Sara takes on the small step of beginning to save her receipts so she can more easily keep track of her daily spending.
She knows that this might be hard for her to remember to do, so plans ahead by putting a ziplock bag in her car. This way, each time she makes a purchase, she sticks the receipt right into the bag when she gets into the car.
Sara wants to be consistent, so she puts a sticky note on the dashboard to remind herself each time she gets into her car to take out any receipts she acquired.
Maria wants to be a person who is loving and connects more with others. Here’s how she follows the list above to help set herself up for success:
Maria decides that she is going to reach out to a family member or friend for a few minutes every day.
To get herself in the right frame of mind, she picks a time of the day when she will be relaxed, sits in a comfortable chair with a hot cup of tea, and puts on some soft music.
To be consistent, Maria sets a daily alarm so that she remembers to make that call each evening.
As you can see, you don’t have to wait to become a healthy, responsible, or loving person, or anyone else that you want to be- you can start right now!
If you remember to keep your steps small, have what you need in place, and be consistent, you will see success every day!
Need help figuring out "who you want to be?" Let's set up a complimentary discovery call and see if coaching is right for you.
All the best,
Debra
Certified Life, Productivity, & ADHD Coach
Debra S. Levy, PCOC, PCC A Life That Fits, LLC
