Tips for goals that stick
If you’ve had challenges sticking to your “New Year, New Me” goals, then you’re not alone. Long-term goals can be a challenge because of the endurance required to maintain them. That’s why Galatians 6:9 ESV reminds us, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Here are some tips for setting goals that help you grow.
Start your bar at eye level. Set goals that you can see happen as quickly as two weeks down the road. Continue to build out milestone goals that can be achieved every month, so you are always in a position of success. It is better to raise the bar one inch every month and have a record of wins, than it is to start with the bar a foot too high and consistently come up short.
Tell the right person. This is a friend who will question you for picking up one more community assignment because she knows you set a goal to finally get more than five hours of sleep each night. Or this may be a friend who will point out your excuses when you stop for frozen yogurt for the fourth day in a row, and this friend will challenge you to find another way to work-out your stress. That’s the person who needs to know your goals for this season and your plan for accomplishing them.
Stop comparing your results. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Just because your exercise results aren’t showing as quickly as your sister’s results are, or your bank balance isn’t as advanced as your friend’s balance is doesn’t mean you should dismiss your hard work altogether. You are trying to become a better you, not a better them. Use the changes you do feel and the progress you do see to push you towards your next milestone.
Always ask yourself, “Why”? The difference between “because the doctor said so” and “I want to be around to watch my kids go to college” is why. The difference between dreading that morning jog and enjoying a new way to connect with your spouse is why. The difference between, “But eating salad is so boring” and being proud of who looks back at you in the mirror is why. When you answer the question, “Why?” you put passion, purpose and promise behind your commitment. Furthermore, when you have a clear “Wellness Why,” it converts your goals from a checklist to a way of life.
Whatever you’re looking forward to this season, let’s get your temple ready. We have some freebies to help you start your self-care routine with just five minutes a day. Head to www.doctorasha.com/links.
Dr. Asha Fields Brewer is a creator of healthy conversations. As a national speaker and published author, she teaches the busy and overwhelmed how to live life abundantly. She is the owner of Temple Fit Co. wellness agency, which is home to 25-plus wellness speakers and fitness instructors. Tune in to “Temple Fit Devotions with Dr. Asha” on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. on Hallelujah 95.3 FM
