As I sit here in Ubud, Bali, considering my life and the new year, it feels open and full of possibilities. There’s nothing like a new calendar year, to encourage us to pause and consider all the different aspects of our lives. Whether it’s relationships, career, health or family, a new year tends to prompt us to take pause, audit life and imagine how we would like our life and year to look. Every year, (especially while on holiday) I like to consider what my best life looks like and how I can manifest it. Sometimes that means considering on what to let go of and other times I feel inspired to create new beginnings and evolve.
The trouble with many new year intentions or resolutions is that by the end of January, most resolutions would have fizzled. We can often drift back into “dreaming” about other new beginnings so that we don’t have to face the challenge of following through with the one right in front of us. This is part of what gets people stuck in a change cycle. They start something new, realize it takes work, dedication and growth, and as a result of the discomfort, they jump ship and look for a new goal.
Most of us make excuses about timing not being right, the goal not being right or the circumstances not being ideal. We often “postpone” the follow through, promising ourselves we will come back and finish the goal at a “later date.” It’s no surprise that a promise to ourselves can often be the quickest and easiest one to break. If no one knows but us, what is the harm right? What most people don’t know, is each time we break a promise to ourselves, it erodes our self confidence, (and our change competency) which means future goals and intentions will be more challenging to achieve.
Before you set off in 2019 with your goals, ask yourself these questions to rule out your true goals and intentions for year ahead.
1.) Why do you want to achieve the goal you’ve set out for yourself?
Are you looking to achieve your goal to satisfy your internal dreams and desires? Or are you doing it to please the other people in your life? Does it expand who you are as a person and enable your growth? It’s important to understand the true intention of your goal, which will give you the internal drive to reach it.
2.) How are you going to achieve your goal?
Have you identified all of the necessary tools, resources and attitude that you need to achieve your goal? Equally important, have you identified the likely barriers and blind spots you will encounter? Have you determined what resources you need to minimize the sabotage that barriers can create? It’s important that you equip yourself with any supports and tools so that the most difficult part of achieving your goal is based on your willpower. The most overlooked part of successful change is being ready and equipped to before you even start.
3.) When are you going to achieve your goal by?
The saying is, “the difference between a goal and a dream is a plan.” Most people have dreams that will never become a reality, because they are missing a plan and timeline for success. It’s infinitely more effective to reach your goal when you set a timeline. Start small. If you don’t believe you will reach the goal, you wont. So break it into manageable steps. Many of your goals may not last the whole year, so it’s important to identify the start and end time. You will be more accountable to yourself when you set an end time!
Whatever your intentions or resolutions may be for 2019, it’s important to adopt a positive skillset and attitude around growth and change. Anything new will be uncomfortable and tough, and it’s important to remember that the journey is just as important as the destination! And above all, WE are the ones who create our lives. Me being in Bali now did not happen by chance. Me having an online business that lets me have the flexibility to have the lifestyle I want was a result of a goal and a plan. The very thing you want in life right now, will require you to be uncomfortable enough to evolve your life, your relationships and yourself to your next level of potential. Like they say….”Life begins at the end of your comfort zone!”
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