Are you ready to get what you want in 2016? If so, it’s a good idea to do more than choose a New Year’s resolution. In fact, British psychologist Richard Wiseman discovered in his study that 88% of New Year’s resolutions are broken.
Rather than announcing your resolution at a New Year’s Eve party and then quickly breaking it, here are some ways to actually get what you want in 2016 and make it the best year ever.
1. Decide what you truly want
First of all, what is it you truly want? Consider something you desire, and then think about the work required to get it. Do you really want what you say you do, or would you rather not put in the effort to get it? Be honest with yourself. If you really want something, it’s time to work toward getting it. If you’re not sure what you truly want, get this free workbook. It has thought-provoking questions to help you discover your passion and the mark you want to make on the world.
2. Set very specific goals and write them down
Multiple studies have shown that writing down your goals is beneficial. Set your long-term goals very specifically. To learn how to rephrase a vague New Year’s resolution into a specific, measurable goal, read this article for a great example. After you’ve set your long-term goals, break them down into smaller goals, and figure out exactly what you need to do every single day to stay on course to achieve them. Breaking down your long-term goals into small daily goals helps make them less intimidating, and gives you an objective measure of whether or not you’re on track to achieve them.
3. Find your why
As you set your goals, find your why. Your why is your purpose. It’s a personal reason you really want to achieve the goal. Having a strong why will help get you through the days you feel unmotivated toward your goal. In his TED Talk “Start With Why,” Simon Sinek describes how finding your why inspires action. What is your very meaningful reason you want to achieve your goal?
4. Make space in your schedule to work on your goals
To achieve your goals and get what you want, you must make space in your life to make your goals a priority. Assess how you’re currently spending your time. Are your days packed with unimportant tasks? Start replacing something unimportant with working toward your goal, even if it’s just a few minutes per day to start. Too many people live their lives in the daily grind, going through the motions, and leave no time in their days for what truly matters to them. Make 2016 the year you make room in your schedule to work on getting what you really want.
5. Work on your mindset
If you’re like millions of people, your mindset holds you back from getting what you truly want. Start reframing your negative thoughts of “I could never do that” to “I don’t know how to do that right now, but with the right support system in place, I’ll be able to learn and achieve my goal.” Pay attention to your self-talk. Is it negative? Be kind to yourself and treat yourself as a friend would, with encouragement and positivity. Not sure how to be your own friend? Check out this article, 50 Small Things You Can Do Every Day to Really Love Yourself.
6. Conquer your fear
As George Addair said, “Everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” It’s essential to learn to conquer your fear to get what you want. Many fears will likely arise when you’re working toward a big goal. As you get out of your comfort zone and take action toward what you want, here are some of the fears that may be roadblocks for you:
- Fear of standing out
- Fear of failure
- Fear of success
- Fear of the unknown
- Fear of not being ready
- Fear of not being smart enough
- Fear of choosing a path you don’t like
It’s important to not let these fears sabotage your success. When you are overwhelmed with fear, focus on taking tiny baby steps toward your goal. Sometimes, our big goals can seem so huge and far away, and accomplishing them looks pretty impossible. When that happens to you, work on focusing on the small action step for that day only instead of thinking about your massively overwhelming goal. Keep moving forward, one step at a time, and you will make huge amounts of progress toward your goals over the weeks and months.
7. Surround yourself with people doing what you want to do
This is quite possibly my favorite lifehack of all time. The people you surround yourself with make a huge difference in how you live your life. Spend time with people who encourage, inspire, and challenge you to be your best and to achieve your big goals.
It’s time to make 2016 the year you finally get what you want. You’ve got this!
Featured photo credit: Near the top of Ptarmigan Peak. Chugach Mountains, Alaska/Paxson Woelber via flickr.com
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