With December barely making its debut, we’re already getting ready to start 2020 with our best foot forward here at Nan and Company Properties/Christie's International Real Estate! We’re fully aware of how easy it is to create elaborate goals only to hit a roadblock and quit by the 3rd day of the new year. New habits don’t start overnight, that’s why we’re here to give you tips on how to set realistic goals, create a plan on how to reach them and hold yourself accountable!
Set the Goal
We’re in the last month of the decade and there’s no better time than now to identify places of improvement in your life. Before carving your goals out in concrete, here are a few questions to ask yourself. Are you creating this personal goal as a response to a societal pressure? Is your resolution specific? Can you think of a realistic plan that will help you achieve this goal? Half of all resolutions fail early in the year, but yours doesn’t have to be one of them! SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals have a better chance of becoming reality. Make sure your resolution is clear (Smart). Find ways to track the progress from start to finish (Measurable). Do an analysis on yourself and the probability of achieving your goal (Achievable). Ask yourself if this goal is important to you (Relevant) and lastly, put a date on when you’d like to achieve it while keeping in mind just how realistic it is for you to meet that goal (Time-bound).
Draw Out A Plan
This is where you put the pedal to the metal! You don’t become a completely new person when the clock strikes 12, so an organized and well thought out plan is needed to better prepare yourself to jump over any unforeseen hurdles. Getting a clear view of what the task is helps you better break it down into smaller parts. A big goal is usually made up of small goals so don’t neglect the need to create smaller, easily achievable goals. Cutting down your resolution into multiple, easily achievable parts gets you one step closer to accomplishing your goal.
Keep Yourself Accountable
Take advantage of the fact that you’re not the only one with a resolution to meet. You don’t need to do it alone, with the start of a new year, you’re guaranteed the company of plenty of people who also desire a life change. Form a support group with like minded individuals who each want to see the same behavioral changes. Support groups help encourage social reinforcement and provides a space for people to learn from the testimonials of others. Join a Facebook group ahead of time (before the new year) and let the preparations begin. As you join a new community, don’t be afraid to cut away from your old one if need be. While some friends and family want to help, others can hold you back. A change in behavior often produces friction in a relationship with someone who has no desire to change that same behavior for themselves. Clearly state what your goals are for this new season in your life and stick to it. Anyone who doesn’t wish you well or acts as a barrier isn’t good for you regardless.
The road to a better, more improved you isn’t always a straight one. Setting a goal is one thing, achieving it is another. However, even if you don’t succeed the first time, it’s ok, you can always try again. Be kind to yourself and don’t beat yourself up, you’re not alone. You’re among the thousands of people who start the new year with a goal in mind only to fall short of the finish line. Remember, a resolution doesn’t need to be tied to New Year’s. There’s never a certain time to improve yourself, if you didn’t achieve the goal by the time frame you set, it’s ok, keep running the race until you reach the finish line. Give it another attempt, you don’t need to wait until another year comes around to give it another go. With this being said, we hope you’re ready to make the necessary changes needed to jump start the new year NOW!