There’s something about New Year that inspires people to make positive changes in their lives. However, as we all know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. It’s one thing to want to make a change; it’s another to actually achieve that goal.
“We should always have two or three goals for ourselves at any point of our lives. It gives us direction, purpose and something to work towards,” says Harshini Modi, physiotherapist and transformational life coach.
Not only is 2020 the start of a new decade, but it’s the Year of the Rat, according to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. According to Chinese astrologers, “the rat comes with success, expanse, stealth, strength and the ability to solve problems that other people cannot” Changing your life to channel these attributes this year may lead to success and growth.
Anyone who’s tried to fulfill a New Year’s resolution knows that change requires commitment. This can be difficult. Sometimes a vision board isn’t enough. “Many people set goals but ultimately run out of willpower,” Modi says.
Having too many things on your plate can make the whole exercise seem daunting, increasing the chances of your giving up. The good news is that there are ways to make success more probable in your endeavours this year.
WRITE IT DOWN
According to the website of the South African Life Coaching Academy, actively writing down all your goals on paper every morning will make it easier for you to recommit to them. In fact, the more often you do this, the greater the chances of sticking to your commitment. “There’s something very powerful about the link between what you write repeatedly and the subconscious mind,” it notes.
SET SMALL, MANAGEABLE GOALS
The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time, or so the saying goes. The same applies to goal-setting.
“While it’s important to have a bigger picture of where you want to be, you also have to have short-term goals, or your bigger ones can begin to feel out of reach. You can become despondent when it seems you’re not achieving your objectives quickly enough,” explains Modi.
FIND YOUR WHY
If the goals you set aren’t aligned to your higher purpose, they’ll be difficult to attain.
“When you set a goal, it has to be something you really, really want – not something your parents or friends want for you,” cautions Modi.
Being clear about the goal and specific about what achieving it would look like make it easier to do just that.
REVIEW
Many people wait until the end of the year to review their New Year’s resolutions. However, you can benefit from regularly checking in with yourself to see where you are on your journey. “Your goals need to be things you look at frequently, to assess whether you’re on track and whether they’re still relevant,” explains Modi.
SHARE YOUR GOALS WITH SOMEONE YOU TRUST
Having someone to remind you of your goals can help you stay committed to them. However, it’s important to ensure that this person won’t sabotage your mission.
“Sharing big dreams, aspirations and passions with somebody who puts you down by saying: ‘That could be difficult’ or ‘This isn’t going to work because you don’t have enough money’ can derail you,” warns Modi.
