New Years resolutions

When it comes to New Year's resolutions, we all know that making them is not the most challenging part, it's sticking to them!

So what's the trick to making a New Years resolution and sticking to it? Knowing why you really want it!

This might be a very obvious question, but often we neglect to consider exactly what we are looking to achieve, and why.

If you have already come up with some ideas as to the resolutions you want to set, why not ask yourself the following questions to better understand what is behind the resolution? 

1. "What am I trying to achieve?

This involves stating the resolution or goal in the positive. For example, if your resolution is to lose weight, by how much? What is the weight you want to get to? What size would you be once you got there? Thinking about the thing you will get (the positive) rather than what you will give up (the negative).

2. Ask yourself - "If I achieve this, what will I get out of it?"

This might seem obvious, but in terms of motivation, finding what is really going to drive you to stay on task is essential. You may find when thinking about it, the thing you first thought was not the strongest motivator. 

3. Ask yourself - "If I don't achieve this what will I lose?"

Sometimes we are driven by what we perceive we will lose, rather than what we will gain. For example, "If I don't complete this course I will remain in a job that leaves me miserable". This insight may be a stronger driver than "If I complete the course I will be better skilled".
 
4. Think in advance - "what challenges may I come up against?" 

What would I do to overcome this? If this is considered in advance, you are far more likely to overcome the obstacle as you have already thought about how you will get around them. 

5. Break it down!

If you have often noticed that you move toward a goal, but lose motivation part way through, breaking your goal down into sub goals can help sustain motivation, keep you on track and allow you to amend the plan as you go.