If you had to guess how many people quit their New Year’s Resolutions, what would you say? 20%? 30%?
The actual statistic says that 64% of people have quit their New Year’s Resolutions by the end of January. By 6 weeks into the new year, that number is in the 90 percent range. That’s a lot of abandoned resolutions! So why all the hype if we know it doesn’t really work? Why do people continue to make New Year’s Resolutions when we all know that it’s not going to lead to any level of success?
You see, success isn’t a one-time decision. If it was, we’d all be successful! Creating success and prosperity, reaching goals, and making changes is about much more than that.
So, how DO you create success? I have 3 strategies that REALLY WORK to help you achieve your goals.
1. Find your One Great Goal
What do you want? What do you REALLY want? If you ask, most people think they know what they want out of their business and in their personal life. But I find that our initial responses to “what is it you want” tend to actually be secondary to something bigger. So to really focus on and make the best use of your time, you need to start by determining your One Great Goal – and once you do that, all your other goals will fall into place more easily.
So, how do you find your One Great Goal?
The process is simple. Start by writing down your top ten (or less) goals. These should be things you can have or things that you can do in your business, life, or career. These should be tangible things, rather than personal growth goals. (Don’t get me wrong – those are good goals too! But for our purposes today, focus on the tangible.)
Next, cross out all but 5 of those goals. Circle the numbers that you really want to keep – the ones that you won’t give up.
Now, out of those 5 you have remaining, cross one more, leaving 4. Repeat this process several times over until you have only 1 left.
That’s it – the last one – the one that made all the cuts – that is your One Great Goal!
Now, if you just focus all your energy on this One Great Goal, would the rest of your list be completed? I find that usually to be the case! So when we focus all our energy on the secondary things, we’re not really achieving what we want. We end up unintentionally wasting a lot of time!
Before you do anything else, start 2022 by determining your One Great Goal.
2. Make a decision that you are going to keep going until you reach your goals.
This seems obvious, right? Decide to do it. Isn’t that what a New Year’s Resolution is? Not exactly. This is about much more than a passing fancy resolution.
You’d be amazed what your mind will do for you when you make a firm decision to accomplish something! If you’ve heard me speak or if you’ve read my books, you have come across the term Neuro-Linguistic Programming. This is an innovative field based on the assumption that humans perceive their own reality and that they are able to influence it. In short, it means that science supports the idea that we get what we intend to. It is really that simple.
A decision – a full commitment to the process – is something much deeper. It’s more permanent. When you make a decision that you are going to do something no matter what, you’re closing all the other doors. There are no other options.
3. Get an accountability coach or partner to support you.
Did you know that you are 95% more likely to reach your goals if you have a coach? 95%! Accountability isn’t just a nice perk – it’s essential for your success!
If you’re running your sales and business all alone, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Everyone needs an accountability partner in their life and business that can help keep you on track. Whether it’s your business partner, your spouse, a parent, or a trusted friend, now is the time to revisit your accountability plan.
A good accountability partner or coach is going to hear you, validate what you’re experiencing, speak the truth to you, and help to keep you on track. A coach doesn’t do the work for you, but they support you in the best – and most effective – way.
Once you have all 3 of these strategies in place and working for you, the process is easy! It only takes 2-3 small steps every day to reach your goals. You aren’t going to have a “knock it out of the park” day every day – and that’s okay! You don’t need to!
So what do YOU need to do today to get back on track? A New Year’s Resolution is a nice intention – but it won’t get you where you need to be. Determine your One Great Goal, decide to make it happen, and get support for the journey. And yes – it can really be that simple!
