The Tall Poppy Guide to Making Sound New Year New You Goals

1:    Be reasonable.  One big goal is enough to take on at a time.  Choose which one it is going to be and assign the others to another month/year.  You have given yourself a head start already, now you can focus.

2.    Pick a Treat, Any Treat.   Now cut your goal down into small chunks of achievable and specific steps for example if you’re trying to lose a stone, plot out sensible loss targets such as 2 lbs loss and give yourself a treat after achieving each one such as some time to yourself or an evening out with friends.  With the treats laid out ahead of you, you’ll always be reaching not only for the next small step, but also the next treat to keep you going!

3:      Establish the Cost Implications.  Find a pencil and a piece of paper and 20 minutes of uninterrupted time alone.  Write your goal out as if you have already achieved it at the top of the page i.e. “I am slim and fit in my size 12 jeans” if your goal is for weight loss.  Put a line down the middle of the paper vertically.  On the left hand side of the paper, write down all the benefits you will experience when you have achieved your goal.  Now take some time to close your eyes and think yourself into the feelings you will have when you have achieved your goal.  Will you feel proud of yourself?  Will you feel fitter?  Will you feel happy?  Will you feel more confident?

Now, on the right hand side of the paper, list exactly what it will ‘cost’ you in terms of your own well-being or personal satisfaction if you don’t complete this goal.  Now think briefly about how you will feel if you quit on this goal.  Will you feel disappointed?  Miserable?  

Which list seems more appealing in the long-term?  Pin this up by your bed where you will see it at least twice a day.

4:      Remember, Remember.  If you have a mobile phone with an alarm/calendar function, list the top 3 benefits of achieving your goal as outlined in your list above and programme your phone to remind you daily of these 3 points.  Read them when they pop up and feel those good feelings that go with achieving your goal.

5:      Pin Up Your Heroes or Heroines.  Who do you most admire?  Why?  Have any of them overcome any sort of difficulty to achieve the success they have now?  Source pictures of them and stick them up around your house to remind you that putting in a bit of effort to achieve your goals ALWAYS pays off.

Content provided by Roz McLeod.

Roz McLeod is a top Personal & Professional Development Coach specialising in Motivating Women and Teens.  She also contributes to VitalityLive.co.uk with an uplifting monthly coaching article.  To find out more about Roz’s training & coaching company, Tall Poppy Training & Coaching, visit her website www.tallpoppytrainingandcoaching.com or contact her on 07745 852836.

Roz will be holding FREE talks entitled 'What are you waiting for? Let’s LIVE TODAY!' in the One Life Theatre on Thursday at 2:30pm, Saturday at 5:30pm and Sunday at 11:30am. She will also be holding workshops entitled 'Frenemies: How to identify and manage some of the wolves in sheep’s clothing in your life' on Thursday at 12:30pm and Saturday at 3:30pm.