Your New Year's Resolutions: 4 Items To Consider

It is a proven fact that ninety percent (or more) of all New Year's goals or resolutions are not achieved. That is huge! More than ninety percent of all people will not attain their goals for the New Year…wow! I want to change that for you right now. If you are reading this article, I will show you why most people do not reach their resolutions and, more importantly, how you can guarantee your own success in reaching your goals for 2011.

There are five important things to consider in conquering your New Year's goals.

1. It is most often the goal itself that is the problem!

Certainly a building is only as strong as its footings and foundation. And so it is with goals: the actual construction of each goal directly determines your success in attaining each goal. Let me say that another way. The main reason that most people fail at goals is that their efforts are doomed from the start because of the construction of the goal itself. Setting a properly constructed goal – an excellent goal – is the key to ensuring success. When one learns how to properly set goals, the foundation is built for constructing a monument to success.

It takes time and careful thought to set excellent goals. When a person quickly writes down a goal (which is usually a desire, as opposed to a goal), that goal is likely not worth anything at all.

In my work as an Abundant Life Coach, I like to teach something I call "GOLD", which stands for "Goal Origination Layout and Design". As the acronym implies, there are three phases to constructing excellent goals: Origination, followed by Layout, and finally the actual Design. On the first day of the goal workshop, we work on "origination". In short, we visit our innermost motives and motivations (the things we stand for in life), then make an uncensored list of what constitutes "abundance" within each motivation item on the list, and end up with an unedited listing of wants or wishes that fit within our innermost motives in life. The next day we make a very rough draft of short-term goals (within 6 months), intermediate-term goals (6 months to 2 years), and long-term goals (3 years and beyond), which is the "Layout" step. At this point (perhaps the following day) we go back through and make certain that these "goals" serve to further our motives at the heart of who we are as individuals. This is a discovery process that involves constantly asking yourself "why" you want this goal and is it the real goal, as opposed to something superficial, or not the truest of desires. And finally, by day 3 or 4 we reach the "Design" stage. In this final step of goal setting, we add a master plan of action that we will likely follow to reach towards each goal. There should be a designed plan added to each goal on the list.

I cannot over stress the importance of structuring goals and critically thinking about every aspect of what we "think we want" in order to discover our truest and most desired goals. As an example, it is all too easy to write a goal to loose 30 pounds by the end of the year and stop there. Then, if we were to follow the "GOLD" steps, we would ask why this goal is important, and what will this give me when I achieve it. Often we discover how the goal should really have been written. Our final goal might read: "For my overall health and well-being, I will loose 1 pound a week by eating smaller portions, speeding up my metabolism by eating several small meals (instead of 3 larger meals), and spending 30 minutes every day with stretching and lifting light weights." This goal now reflects my motive regarding my health, and offers a method for reaching my goal.

2. Develop a MAP and daily CAPS to reach goals and resolutions.

Based upon your GOLD goals list, we can then formulate a general Master Action Plan (MAP) that will help to structure our lifestyle to meet our goals. This means taking the plan for each goal and writing those plans out in such a way that you adjust your lifestyle to accommodate actions towards all goals. This step too should be critically scrutinized and carefully written.

Then we must develop our Consistent Action Plans (CAPS) that are written on a daily basis (perhaps) each night for the following day's actions. This is a detailed "to do list" that goes well beyond merely saying "work out" (for example) and instead might say: "get my heart rate up and keep it there for a full 20 minutes from lifting weights and shadow-boxing". Again, this is just an example of what an item on your CAPS might say. It is useful to go even further and plan out tomorrow on an hour-by-hour basis.

The point is that we have now converted our resolutions or goals into action plans that we can apply each day. It is through consistent action that we reach goals.

3. We must take steps to ensure or guarantee successful goals or resolutions.

People are not machines; we have good days and not-so-good days, or even periods where we drop the ball. This is part of being human. Many people loose sight of their goals during these "down" periods. Additionally, we can become too rigid in our goals and plans and therefore not allow for natural change.

So we must employ the concept of "Flexibility". Flexibility is the glue that bonds everything together in success. Flexibility is the central key that allows us to be human and yet allows us to maintain a true course for succeeding. Flexibility means realizing that one day or one week – or any length of time – does not ultimately dictate our success or failure. No, Flexibility means that nothing is "written in stone" and so we can revisit any part of our goals and plans in order to achieve. Further, Flexibility allows us to "fall down and get back up" instead of quitting or giving up.

4. Keep your resolutions, goals, and plans completely private.

When we are flexible and yet stay on course, people will see us achieving goals or resolutions. It is not important or recommended to publicly declare a resolution or goal. Success is in doing and achieving, not in talking, pledging, or promising.

Our goals are about our own wants, desires, and needs, not someone else's goals and therefore they should be kept private. I personally recommend not even sharing goals and resolutions with a spouse or significant other. Let them simply see results. Let everyone simply see results.

In conclusion, it is poor planning that prevents success. I believe in the old adage (the 5 P's): "Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance." In my work as an Abundant Life Coach I teach these concepts – and much more – and spend the right amount of time with a client to help ensure that they properly set and achieve goals and resolutions. I hope you have found something of value in this article.

May you have the very best year of your life!