Every year for the few days leading up to January 1, many people think about what they want to accomplish in the upcoming new year. Maybe their goal is to lose weight, or save more money, or perhaps get that promotion at work. But why do so many people fall short year after year? And what should they do instead in order to accomplish their goals? Let’s discuss.
Their goal is too broad. Let’s take weight loss for example. Many people after Thanksgiving and Christmas put on some unnecessary pounds or were already living an unhealthy lifestyle. So, they make a goal to “lose more weight in 2020.” The problem with that goal is that it is not specific. The vagueness gives them an “out” or allows them to push off the effort of eating healthier and hitting the gym to a later date and often times, that date never really comes. If we were to rephrase that goal to “lose 20 lbs in 2020,” it then creates an end goal which then allows us to break it down into more manageable pieces. Speaking of that…
They focus on the large or long-term goal instead of focusing on the process. People look at large goals as intimidating and often times fail ironically because of their fear of failure. There is an old saying, “how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Obviously most us may roll our eyes because none of us can eat an elephant, but the point is to relate it to our goals. The phrase “one bite at a time” is similar to one small step in the right direction. Therefore, instead of focusing on the elephant (big goals), create smaller, short-term goals that you can manage to take a bite out of. Keeping with the same example of losing 20 lbs in 2020, let’s break that down. 20 lbs in 12 months is 1.67 lbs per month. Therefore, if we want to stay on track monthly, I would recommend making a monthly goal of losing 2 lbs each month. That will allow the individual to focus on just the upcoming month which makes every meal and every workout matter. 20 lbs may seem intimidating but 2 pounds seems pretty easy! The bright side is that if they stick to each month’s goal of losing 2 lbs, they will actually lose 24 lbs instead of just 20! Or, it provides that person 4 lbs of flexibility for when the holidays come back around again next year! The main idea here is to focus on the process, not the end result.
People who don’t accomplish their goals don’t have accountability of any sort. Truly successful people have personal accountability or “accountability to oneself.” However, if we don’t yet have personal accountability, we should all start with accountability to someone else. An accountability partner is a great way to stay on track and also have someone there to keep you motivated when you aren’t feeling up to the task. Everyone knows that I provide nutrition plans for all types of people. However, the real significance I provide people is daily accountability and communication. Although accountability can initially feel daunting or make us feel uncomfortable, most people come to appreciate it because we all have times of weakness or vulnerability and having an accountability partner (who is also encouraging) is critical to success. If you are trying to accomplish a new goal in 2020, ask someone you trust to keep you accountable!
They don’t prioritize their goal in their life. What do I mean by this? They say they want to lose weight, but they go to a lunch buffet with coworkers, or they hit the bar with their friends (every Friday), or they stay committed during the week but throw their diet out the window every weekend. If you are serious about accomplishing your goal, make it a priority in your schedule and don’t let other people dictate your success or failure. If your friends invite you to a dinner, plan ahead and do your homework! Do they have healthy options? Can you bring your own food? Will you feel pressured to eat foods that would throw you off your diet? If you are serious about your goals, don’t let your friends dictate what goes in your body! If you have a problem, let your friends know! If they don’t support you in accomplishing your goals, are they really your friends or are they just an acquaintance? Get rid of negative influences and surround yourself with positive people!
If you make your goal specific, focus on the small steps in the process of accomplishing that goal, stay accountable to someone else (and yourself), and truly prioritize your goals, then you are very likely going to accomplish the goals you set for 2020. I sincerely hope this helps a few of you and if you are looking for someone to stay accountable to and are having trouble thinking of someone, please feel free to send me a message!
God bless you all and let’s make 2020 the best year yet!
Richard Fitzgerald 