Follow this 3-step process to stay on track with your midyear resolutions
Most people have already fallen off the wagon when it comes to achieving their New Year’s goals, but it’s not too late.
We’re officially halfway through the year, and the clock is ticking down on how much time we have left to hit the targets we set for ourselves in January.
It probably comes as no surprise to hear that many of us are off target, but what might be more startling is just how many of us that includes: According to a study by Forbes Health, 80% of goal-setters have already fallen off the wagon, and most gave up on their New Year’s resolutions some time ago.
If this has you feeling down, here’s the good news: You’re not alone. There’s still time to make up lost ground before December 31st rolls around.
If you want to finish the year strong and get back on track with your goals, grab a notebook and follow what I call the “3R” exercise for midyear resolutions: review, reassess, and reset.
Step 1: Review your original goals and resolutions
When was the last time you actually looked at your New Year’s resolutions? More important, did you write them down at the start of the year?
There is something to the phrase, “Out of sight, out of mind.” So find your resolutions and muster up the courage to give them a good look-see. It’s important to be kind to yourself in this moment. Don’t beat yourself up for falling behind or losing steam on things you set out to do six months ago. Remember, you’re in good company: 80% of us are right alongside you.
Consider how your priorities may have shifted since you set your goals. If things don’t align anymore, scratch them off the list. If you feel like you absolutely must, find a worthy replacement or adjust your original plan.
As you review that original list and decide what to cut and what to update, start jotting a new list on the page you scrounged up for this exercise. Include goals from every category that’s important to you—whether that’s business, family, social life, or personal development
Step 2: Reassess how far you’ve come and what’s left to achieve
With your updated list in front of you, be honest with yourself. Did you set resolutions that had specific, measurable outcomes, or did you stick to making vague and wishy-washy, “feel-good” resolutions?
There’s a reason you hear coaches endlessly preach about SMART goals—they’re:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-Bound
Ultimately, achieving results is a numbers game. The more time you put into something, the easier it becomes. And while practice doesn’t make perfect, it does make you more aware of what works and what doesn’t. We get a ton of instant feedback in response to our actions—most of which we don’t pay attention to. But this feedback is what James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, says we can use to create a habit loop.
Time for honesty again: How much movement have you made on your original resolution list, and what hard numbers do you have to prove it?
If you didn’t set goals with quantifiable stops on your original resolution road map, now’s the time to do it. If you did, tally up how far you’ve come and determine how far you have to go, then add this to your new list-in-progress.
Step 3: Reset realistic goals based on the remaining time in the year
Now that you’ve reviewed and reassessed, it’s time to reset.
First, determine how many weeks you have left in the ear. This will give you a clear idea of what is (and isn’t) realistic when it comes to hitting your marks. Give special attention to the “A” in SMART goals: Your new targets need to be attainable. Just because you can measure them doesn’t mean you can hit them.
As best you can, break up your goals into weekly tasks. What do you need to do each week to hit your targets by the end of the year? It may also help to think of the past six months as two quarters instead—three months or 12 weeks each. This is how the authors of The 12-Week Year, Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington, teach entrepreneurs and leaders to approach their goals in order to have the best chance of success.
Get out your calendar and mark down when you’re going to make these things happen. Choose specific dates and hold yourself to them. Ensure you get them front and center where you can see them daily—whether that means writing them with dry-erase markers on your bathroom mirror, sticking Post-it notes all over your house, or downloading a free reminder app.
Review your dates weekly and check in with yourself to ensure you’re still on track for the end of the year.
Ready, set, go
You’ve reviewed, reassessed, and reset. Now all that’s left to do is take action. It’s never too late to pick up where you left off or even start over.
No matter how many weeks remain this year, once you’ve finished reading this, schedule time to revisit your goals and refocus before the countdown to a new year begins. When the next January 1st rolls around, you’ll be really glad you did.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fast Company
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