I have to start by saying that I don’t really do resolutions. As it turns out, my resolve usually isn’t very strong – my resolutions never make it past the first chocolate treat that comes my way. Goals, on the other hand, I’m all over. Goals leave room for making mistakes, which we all know are going to happen because unfortunately, we’re not perfect. Goals help you set a path that moves you forward rather than pushing you down when you slip up.
I have 4 rules I give myself when setting goals around New Years:
Keep Things Simple - I generally want to do everything at once, which is a sure way to burn out quickly. If I’m setting a goal, I have to remind myself to be realistic and consider the existing time restraints I already have in my life. After all, the purpose of a goal is to build us up not set us up to fail.
Keep Priorities Straight – There are a lot of things I want to do in this life. I want to write a book. I want to learn to play the piano. I want to take the time to become a really great photographer. The problem is, those things can easily get in the way of what I really want to BE in this life – a great mom and wife. I have to remember to keep my priorities straight on not let my goals of what I want to do interfere with becoming the person I want to be.
Create a Challenge – This may seem like a bit of a contradiction to the previous two rules but I don’t see much of a point in setting a goal if it isn’t a bit of a challenge. You wouldn’t set a goal to do something that you are already doing so why would you set a goal that isn’t at least a bit of a challenge. If there’s one thing my life has taught me, it’s that I can do hard things – even if I don’t always want to. That doesn’t mean you have to set complicated goals that are difficult to reach, you just have to set goals that are going to challenge you personally to be a bit better. For example, I’m going to try and get to bed by 10:30 at least 5 nights a week. That isn’t a complicated goal, but as a work at home mom who works mainly while my kids are sleeping, it’s going to be a challenge.
Make Concrete Goals – How many moms are going to set goals to lose weight or drink more water this year? The problem with goals like that is they are not concrete. You are never going to know when you have reached your goal. Moms have enough unfinishable jobs in their lives – don’t add to that. Give yourself a goal you can reach and then reward yourself when you reach the finish line. You’ll probably find that it’s a nice change from stuff like dishes and laundry, because even if you do it today, you’re still going to have to do it tomorrow.
The really nice thing about goals is that they don’t have to apply to the entire year. You can set relatively short term goals, and then set new ones when you reach those.
2011 Goals
- Go to bed by 10:30 at least five nights a week.
- Exercise as a family at least 3 days a week.
- Sit down and create a work schedule to separate work and family time.
- Drink at least 80 ounces of water a day.
That’s it. I’m sure I’ll set more goals throughout the year but I know myself well enough to know that if I spread myself too thin, I won’t succeed at anything.
What are your New Years (Resolutions) Goals?
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All great tips, though I suggest that, before making concrete goals, that we also spend some time digging deep into what’s important to us about the resolution/s we’re trying to attain. I suspect that the reason 80%-90% of New Year’s resolutions don’t succeed (as quickly as by the end of January!) is that we’re so focused on our goals that we forget to ramp up our inner momentum to keep those goals attainable. What’s important to you about the goal? How do think achieving it will enhance your life? What other ways are there of enhancing your life along these lines (in case there’s another goal that’s more aligned with with you TRULY desire, which is usually deeper than the 10 pounds we want to lose or going to the gym twice a week, e.g., feeling good about myself and my body, being healthy so I’m here to enjoy my family for many years to come….). I’ve started thinking about making p-resolutions, i.e., resolutions about what we’ve succeeded in achieving in the past. Yep, look over this last year to see what’s gone right in your relationship with your spouse and with your kids. That way, you’ll be guaranteed a 100% success rate for your resolutions. Okay, okay, I also think it’s worth considering resolutions for the new year, too. Here’s my “take” on this topic: http://wp.me/pZuta-77
Rhona Berens (Parent Alliance)´s last [type] ..Marriage with Kids- Celebrating Parents and Relationships in 2010
Great point Rhona! You really do need a purpose behind the resolutions you set. It’s day one and I’m already realizing that I probably just need to pick one resolution at a time if I want to be successful.
I set goals every year and will do so for 2011. I have not committed them to paper YET but will soon. I have committed to my focus word for 2011, EMBRACE [who I am]. Just blogged about it here http://jillconyers.typepad.com/
Good luck with your goals and great tips
jill conyers´s last [type] ..Week 1- One Little Word Captured
I agree about goals being more powerful than resolutions.
I also need to do this… “Go to bed by 10:30 at least five nights a week.”
Susan (5 Minutes for Mom)´s last [type] ..Around the Blogosphere – Add YOUR Giveaway Link