Every year brings with it new expectations, goals, targets or resolutions. These goals or resolutions are meant to make us have a better version of ourselves, do better than we did and have more than we did from the previous year(s).
Every second, every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every month and every year presents to us to do better and become better versions of ourselves.
We are a work in progress and life itself is a continuous journey.
New year's resolution or goals may include personal, financial, health, relationship, career, spiritual, educational, visionary and a change in habit that are meant to motivate or encourage us to do better than we did the last year and the previous years.
But I have come to realize that there are so many people who are now against new year's resolutions. It is either they have misconceptions of what new year's resolutions are all about, they failed in trying to keep one or they just want to flow with the crowd.
Some of the people who even kick against new year's resolution set goals for themselves either secretly or openly but do not want to term these goals as new year's resolutions. Click here for more on resolutions.
The reason why most people fail at keeping or staying true to their resolutions for the year is due to lack of sustenance.
It's either they give up before starting, stop half way, gave up due to challenges faced or simply lost sight of their goals.
Some fail because they want to achieve these set goals as fast as they can. They are too much in a hurry see their goals come to fruition but life itself is a process, everything goes through a process and we all must go through the process.
Others simply fail at getting started. They are scared of starting from where they are and with what they have.
At the start of every year, we all get excited and are motivated with new sets of goals and the future would seem brighter than it has always been.
We get encouraging words from well meaning people, prayers and even prophecies from pastors about having a prosperous year ahead. All these are meant to motivate us and to keep the faith alive.
It is one thing to be motivated about our goals but another thing to to get started by taking steps. So many people find it difficult to to take the first step.
Yes! this happens and happened to me so recently. I have a goal and a dream for the the year 2022 but found it difficult to start.
I even wanted to start in December 2021 but couldn't just start. I would just look at my laptop and take my eyes off it again.
But finally found the courage to start on the 3rd of January 2022 and gradually forming habits for it just to keep the momentum.
Motivation alone is not enough to get your goals achieved. While motivation gets you started, habits keep you going. Even the Bible says "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:17).
Its a great thing to get motivated about our goals. Motivation energizes us and enables us see a better and brighter future ahead but if these motivations are not accompanied by works(steps) or habits then our dreams would only be mere wishes.
There are no short cuts to turning your new year's resolutions into success by the end of the year. You will need to take concrete steps and a realistic plan to make it work.
If for instance, your goal for this year is keeping fit and having a perfect body this year, you won't get your fitness goal over night by exercising 3 hours at a stretch but achievable when you do it in bits like at least 20 minutes per day and continuously every day.
If your goal or target for the year is to hit a particular amount financially, then you need to form the habit of getting into savings, investments (both short and long term), side hustles etc that can get you some passive or extra income.
Your goal could be to read a certain amount of books before the year runs out, then reading at least a chapter or two a day of a book can help you reach your goal.
I usually have a busy day almost every day so I do my reading in the mornings even if its just a chapter or for few minutes. The most important thing is making progress towards achieving your goals as the days go by.
Martin Luther King Jr once said "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't work then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."
The key to success is to keep moving and consistency in our routines is what makes the huge difference in our lives.
If you need to change certain habits to reach your goals this year then do it. There are people who once they are up in the mornings reach for their phones to log on to social media platforms.
You can change this habit by praying first, reaching for a book to read or do 10-20 minuets work out. These are habits that can be formed to have a better year ahead.
To keep fit and look fit with the perfect body, you also need to cut down on certain food intake or cut down the amount of food intake you usually consume. Alcohol and cigarette intake also need to be cut down drastically to have a perfect health.
The truth is, there is no one formula to reach your goals successfully but you have to figure out what works best for you, set a plan, stick to your plan and make the plan a daily routine and a habit.
Once you find a plan and stick to it, it becomes a part of you automatically that you easily do with no stress or struggles not even with reminders.
The good thing about forming habits is that it helps your track your success and productivity. Healthy habits bring you clarity, inner peace and the motivation to conquer and keep going as you see how far you have progressed.
One last thing, if you really and truly want to achieve that goal, then find joy in doing what you do to get there.
Be happy about your goals and the steps you take towards achieving that goal. If you find it difficult having joy in doing what you do, you would be frustrated and at the end give up.
So, in order not get frustrated, set realistic goals for yourself and start with baby steps. No rushing the process but taking it one day at a time and step by step. You don't need to take huge steps but baby steps. Take your dreams and turn them into a sustainable reality.
Happy new year once more. See you at the top!
Quote for the day - "Get started today and keep going."
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