Well, friends, unfortunately (and for some, finally), the Christmas holidays are over. It's time to get back into working mode, to set new goals... But let's be honest, how often did you realize what you had planned at the beginning of the year? How many times have you checked off an item on your list of goals for two thousand some year? Unless you are a super productive blogger in the resource, in the moment, in the flow, probably by the end of January most of your endeavors fail, and so it is year after year. So why does this happen and is there anything you can do about it?
Let's start with the fact that all of us are ordinary people with a lot of worries: from "what to cook for dinner" to "how to pay the bills". And after looking at the perfect pictures in Instagram, after reading the results of the past year, in which there are more completed tasks than in our whole life, we begin to feel somehow uncomfortable - and why am I worse? And this is where the main catch awaits us: we set a lot of different goals, which are simply physically impossible to fulfill, staying at the current starting point.
Hence the first piece of advice: set achievable and adequate goals. There is no need to write "buy a Lamborghini" in your list of goals if you realize that you will not be able to do it in the near future, and at the end of the year you will be upset. You want a car - assess your financial capabilities and choose the appropriate model.
Also, try not to set a lot of global goals: learn a language, go on a trip around the world, buy an apartment, change jobs, etc. The probability that none of these goals will be closed will be much higher when there are many of them and they are energy and labor-intensive. It is better to choose one of the most important and relevant and break it down into small subtasks. By the way, this is a great working psychologist's flyhack, which you have probably heard about more than once: do not eat the whole elephant, divide it into pieces. If you plan to lose weight, it is better to break the process into stages. For example, 4 kg per month is an easier goal to achieve than 24 kg in six months. Essentially the same thing, but it sounds very different and not so frightening. You will not be drawn to the idea that the end point is still far away, and you have lost only 4 kg, no! You set a goal for the month - you have achieved it, you can move on! And if the big task is closed, no one prevents you from taking on another.
You don't need to compare yourself to others. This applies both to banal comparisons with bloggers and with more real people. For example, you saw how easy it was for a friend to learn a new craft, and you decided to try it - it didn't work out. You, seeing how easy it was for your friend, decide it's not your thing and give up. But you do not know what efforts it cost her, as she sat days and nights, re-read a huge amount of information, how many times she did not succeed before a good result, she can simply keep silent about it. So never look around, follow your own path and don't compete with anyone.
Give up on New Year's Eve! Yes, we are used to the idea that New Year's Eve is some kind of magical holiday, a milestone, a line beyond which all bad things remain, when you can forget everything and go into the new year completely clean. But if we look at things realistically, it turns out that on January 1 we often meet exhausted pre-holiday race for gifts, work reports, completion of mandatory cases, and we spend the vacations just to rest from this tension. And after them, we dive back into the routine that no one has canceled. Your daily, weekly, monthly tasks aren't going anywhere, you need to realize that. And yes, it takes time to get sucked back into it all, after a total ten days of doing nothing. Give yourself that time. When you feel that life is back on track, you can already make a list of goals and begin to realize them. Psychologists advise to do this closer to spring, when the most difficult and depressing season is over, and together with the spring sunshine will appear fresh strength. If you need inspiration, take a look at our list annual targets.
Spoil yourself! Devise a reward system to reward yourself for achieving results. If you lose 10 kg, go to a spa or get a massage. If you have earned the necessary amount of money for a cherished purchase, take a day off and have fun. We all love gingerbread, and without reward and praise it's hard to keep doing something, especially if it's not pleasant.
Set specific goals. Don't just decide to lead a healthy lifestyle, but write down what habits you want to acquire and what habits you want to get rid of. Get a tracker - it's a very handy thing for multi-tasking goals and developing habits. When you see a clear plan of action, it's easier to follow it than some vague generalized notion. And a tracker not only reminds you, but also lets you see how much you've already accomplished and adds motivation to stay on track.
Make sure they are your desires. In our information-rich world, it's so hard to know whether these desires are ours or imposed by someone else - advertising, loved ones, opinion leaders. So before you go on a trip to Bali, ask yourself if you really want to go to Scandinavia or to your grandmother's house in the country.
Well, we've covered the basics of how not to fall victim to New Year's promises and not to disappoint yourself at the end of the year. We know you will definitely succeed!
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