It’s a brand-new year, and we are now over a month into 2021. We’ve all made New Year’s resolutions for this year; however, making them is always the easiest part. Staying committed to the goals you set for the year is much more difficult.
Maybe you set a resolution to eat healthier and work out more. Or you could have a goal to start a new career by going back to school and attending a career training program. Whatever resolutions you’ve set for 2021, there are several things you can do to help stay focused and on-track to achieving your goals throughout the year. Check out these tips to help you stay committed!
Create a Plan Just for You
The strategies that work for someone else may not be the best solutions for our own needs. We all need a specific plan that is designed to help us reach our goals. To get started, create goals that are specific to you. For instance, if you made a New Year’s resolution to work out more, how many times will you work out per week? What types of exercises will you do to help reach your goals? When and where will you work out? With the answers to these questions, you can create a plan specific to your needs.
Approximately 21 days of repetitive activity helps to create a habit, and 90 days of doing these same activities help to build a lifestyle. As you’re creating a new habit, each time you do something new, it will make things a little easier the next time around. Exercising will not be easy at first, especially if it’s been a while since you have worked out. However, being sore after that initial workout is expected. As time goes on and you continue exercising, you will build endurance and muscle, making things easier. You will get better, and it will eventually come naturally to you.
When we are trying to improve various aspects of ourselves, it may be tempting to try and achieve all our goals at once. But if you create too many resolutions at once, it can be more difficult. Things may become overwhelming while trying to make so many changes at a time. This may demotivate you or cause you to give up easily. If you pick three goals to start with and make them your main priorities, you will be able to reach your goals more successfully.
These days, there’s an app for just about anything you want to do. If one of your goals is to exercise more, then utilizing an app will help you plan your workouts, track your progress, and keep focused. If one of your goals is to choose healthier food options, find an app to help you track meal choices and learn more about which foods are more beneficial. Another goal you may have is to save and budget your money better. Finding an app that helps you track spending can give you better control of your money.
Choose Progress Over Perfection
Change is undoubtedly a process that does not come overnight. The Empire State Building was not built in a day, and the Mona Lisa was not painted overnight. Making strides toward greatness takes time, and that includes achieving our goals. If you’ve created a goal to go back to school and begin a new career, then all the classes you attend, and every test you pass will help you progress to accomplish your goal of getting a new job. It takes time to complete your career training classes, but you will be ready to start your new career when you’re finished.
If we always wait for the perfect moment to do something, we may never accomplish anything. The perfect time does not exist, and things will never be exactly how we want them. If we would like to take a step toward our goals and dreams, then we must venture out and take a leap of faith.
In reality, perfection does not exist. It’s just something that we attempt to achieve that keeps us doing the same things in repetition. For example, if you want to become a vegetarian and one day you slip up and have a piece of meat, this does not mean that you are a failure. Instead, it would help if you thought about what circumstances led to you eating meat and what you can do the next day to improve. Gathering your thoughts and learning from the situation can help you do better next time, changing failures into successful moments and helping us make progress as we go.
Continuing to stay focused on your goals and resolutions can be difficult. It’s so exciting at the start, but as time passes, that excitement can wear off, and motivation can drop. There are some great ways to stay focused throughout the year! For instance, if you are going back to school to start a new career, you could try rewarding yourself with a sweet treat each time you do great on a test. Practicing daily affirmations can inspire you to get the lifestyle you want and keep you on track. Finding words or quotes that motivate you and placing them in a spot to view when you wake up in the morning can help immensely. You could make sticky notes or set up notifications on your phone.
The third option to help you maintain focus is to know why you made your resolutions. Think about what pushed you to achieve these specific goals. What drives you to make these changes? Maybe you started to get a better job that can help improve your lives and your family. Or perhaps you wanted to set an example for your kids, so they can see what’s possible with hard work and dedication. There will be days when you feel like a failure or feel like throwing in the towel, but if you stop thinking about why you started, it can help improve your mindset and keep you motivated.
Get Support of Family and Friends
Support from those around you can make or break your progress toward your goals. If you are surrounded by a strong network of friends and family who offer support, it will be much easier for you to keep your resolutions. Additionally, having someone who can mentor you, who has already successfully gone through the process and made it to where you want to be, can help you on your path to achieving your goals. They can share best practices with you and insight from their own experiences. Intentionally creating this type of network will surround you with positive influence. Build your team of cheerleaders who help motivate you along the way and remember that it’s okay to ask others for help.
Finding an accountability partner, like a friend with the same resolution as you, can also have a significant impact. Partner with them to keep each other motivated and on the right path. Spend time daily or weekly speaking with each other to check up on progress or any issues you both may encounter. Having someone you can talk to can help you stay committed.
Reach Your Career Goals with BTC
Now you know exactly how to stay motivated and focused on your goals and resolutions all year, so let Boardman Training Center get you on the fast-track to a new career! With healthcare training programs in exciting areas like Cardio Phlebotomy, EKG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, and Medical Office Specialist, we have just what you need. Request information now to start your path to a new healthcare career!