It’s that time of year again when everyone seems to be creating goals or asking others “what are your New Year’s resolutions?”  If you haven’t set yours yet, or determined what they are, I want to challenge you to break the rules!

I read an article in Forbes magazine that shared the results of a study on New Year’s resolutions.  It showed that less than 25% of people stay committed to keeping their goals after the first 30 days, and of those only 8% achieve them.

Why such a dismal percentage? In general, I believe people set goals for themselves and their businesses based on what they feel they should strive for and NOT what they WANT to strive for.  This is where I think we should break the rules.  Set your goals based on what you really want.

Have you ever known anyone (or perhaps you’ve experienced it yourself) that’s participated in a sport because their dad wanted them to OR someone who’s gone to college right after high school because their parents expected them to, but it in either situation it wasn’t something they really wanted?  Most scenarios like this don’t end up on a positive note.  I’ve known kids in the former scenario and they were miserable.  The kid would get hurt or be sitting in the outfield picking dandelions or looking up at the sky just to get a participation trophy and make their dad happy.  I’ve known kids in the latter scenario where they went to college because it was expected and eventually dropped out or they went, it took forever and if they got a related job when they graduated, they weren’t happy at it and kept job hopping looking for satisfaction.

Then there’s those who really want to play a sport, like hockey; it takes a lot of time and discipline, but they love it.  It’s almost as if they live and breathe it, but it makes them excel in other areas of their lives because they’re so happy playing a sport they love and wanting to improve at it every day.

Before you set your goals or resolutions for the year ask yourself if you’ve set the goal before.  Next give yourself about 15 minutes of quiet time and think back on what stopped you from reaching the goal.  If you’re setting the same goal year after year and not reaching it, there’s a good chance that it’s not something you really want.  Perhaps it’s something someone else wants for you; you feel you’re expected to accomplish it.

Give yourself some time to think about what you really want out of your business; think about what you really want out of your life.  Once you have an idea, give some thought as to what you can do this year, then this first 90 days, to get you closer to what you really want.

One tends to work a lot harder for something when it’s what you really want.  On those days you feel yourself slipping go back and remind yourself what it is you’re really working toward long-term.  Keep a picture or a sign or a motto in view to remind yourself.

When you’re thinking about what you can do toward those goals, make it something you can attain in small chunks or victories, but yet have them be challenging so you put skin into the game.  I think we all tend to work harder when we have something to lose and a lot to gain by doing it.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the Walt Disney story, that is, how he didn’t get a job because he wasn’t “creative” enough, but then went on to build one of the greatest businesses that continues to make millions happy and hopeful each year.  Don’t set your goals for someone else; set them for yourself – the opportunities can be endless!

If you’d like to create your business strategy for reaching your goals, set up your free breakthrough call now, https://bit.ly/2KGNUci

Peggy Niles