80% of New Years resolutions will fail by Valentine’s Day. Why is it so hard to follow through? One mistake that people make is in poor goal setting. Goals must be SMART to be successful:
Specific: Vague goals like “I want to lose weight” or “I want to save more for retirement” often fail. A specific goal would be “I will lose 2lbs/week for six weeks for a total of 12 lbs” or “I want to fully fund my Roth IRA in 2022”.
Measurable: Goals that can’t be measured are destined to fail. “I want to be happier” is not measurable.
Achievable: Many resolutions are impossible to achieve. I don’t set a resolution to beat LeBron James in one on one or beat Phil Mickelson on the golf course. I don’t have the athletic ability nor the time to pound 1000 golf balls every day.
Relevant: Make sure to understand your “why” in goal setting. There has to be a deep motivation to keep you going when you hit a bump and fall down. Examine your values and priorities and make sure the goal matches those in your current place in life.
Time Stamped: Goals have to be time specific to be effective. A goal without an end date will be lost to procrastination and distraction.
My resolution for 2022 is to be able to walk 18 holes of golf by Halloween. While this may sound simple to some, it will take discipline and commitment on my part. I haven’t played golf in nearly a decade due to back injuries and chronic pain. I have also dealt with Long Covid over the last 12 months. I have to have specific goals and benchmarks to accomplish this goal. I need to dedicate my time to walking and be up to 12K steps by October. I plan to increase my normal core stretches/exercises and increase my dumbell reps and weights slowly over time. I also need set a plan on how many golf balls to hit at the range and how many holes to increase throughout the summer. There also needs to be specific finanacial goals that Anne and I have to sit down and agree on to deal with the cost of playing. I can’t approach this with a “weekend warrior” mentality. That will only lead to injury and despair.
If your resolution involves money, please consider making an appointment to talk. My coaching process begins with a free 30 minute, no obligation online meeting.