Featured Article
I've Got My Mind Made Up
Now that you’ve
decided which resolution you’re going to focus on
for 2008 and have your “project” in hand, make sure
you have the right mind set to go along with it.
Understand the commitment and realities of what
you’re challenging yourself to do. Here are some
questions to help you stay focused and successful:
Why are you doing
this?
Examine your
motivation for making this change. If you did it on
a whim, chances are you’re lacking commitment.
However, if you’re realistic about your goal and
accept the responsibility of discipline required to
make this change, you’ll find your motivation and
perseverance will last much longer.
Is your goal
realistic?
Since you have
just one, larger-than-life resolution this year, it
should be audacious – but with realistic milestones
along the way. Habits and behaviors that are changed
gradually have a greater chance of success. Break
your year-long goal into short-term benchmarks. That
way, you can celebrate your success throughout the
year.
Are you focused
on the right thing?
Stay focused on
the behavior you need to change to reach your goal.
For instance, if you want lose weight, your goal for
the day shouldn’t be to lose a certain number of
pounds but to make smart choices at each meal and
snack. Every time you do, you can pat yourself on
the back for a job well done.
Are your tasks
non-negotiable?
If you debate
with yourself at 5:30 a.m. about getting out of bed
and hitting the gym, you’ll no doubt go back to
sleep. But if you make the commitment to yourself
that your resolution isn’t up for negotiation, then
you’ll get out of bed to work out just like you get
out of bed to go to work. Don’t give yourself a
choice, just stay focused on reaching your goal.
Are you perfect?
“No” is the
correct answer. None of us are, so it’s not fair to
expect perfection from yourself. In fact, what you
should expect is to falter along the way every now
and then. But don’t use that as an excuse to give up
on your resolution. Learn from your mistake, get
back on track and keep moving ahead.
Are you ready?
This time, the answer is
“yes.” You know what you want to achieve in 2008,
and you know this is a long-term project that needs
daily commitment and long-term perseverance. Now
that you’ve made up your mind, you’ll see how
successful
The Power of One
can be.
