It’s a new year, and a new decade. As usual, everyone begins by thinking of the past and longing for improvement. How can you improve yourself for the new year and eliminate any habits you find problematic?
Whether you want to improve your body, stop wasting time on the Internet, or create a WordPress blog, here are some ways to motivate you into achieving your ambitions next year.
There is No Shame in Seeking Help
One reason why people fail is because they refuse to seek assistance. Wanting to do everything alone seems like a valiant move, but the truth is that seeking help can help you achieve everything much faster and offer some clear insight. Here are some ways you can get that help.
- Find a partner with a common goal. If you’re trying to work out and lose weight, why not get a workout buddy, or someone attempting the same diet? You now have someone who can hold you accountable should you slip.
- Seek the help of a local counselor, a therapist, or a life coach. This will depend on what you’re looking for. A counselor or life coach is good for life or career advice and motivation, while a therapist may work wonders if you’re someone who has mental health problems preventing you from achieving what you want.
- Talk to an expert. You want to build a website? Contact the people with the most successful sites. Speak to someone who achieved your goal. Go to conventions and speak with the leading experts. Forming connections and learning from those who succeeded are both smart business moves.
Have a Plan
This sounds like common sense, but many people try to achieve their ambitions without a plan. Plans are a bit fluid and sometimes don’t go according to how you envisioned them, but having some cohesive idea of what you’re doing is still a smart move. Also, you can adjust or correct a plan as you learn from it.
This even applies to something as simple as going on a diet. If you want to eat less, it’s important to plan your portions or gradually reduce how much you eat to the point where you feel fewer hunger pangs doing so.
Get Specific With Your Ambitions and Goals
Another reason why many people fail their goals is because they’re so broad and not specific enough. Let’s look at the common resolution of getting fit. Many people may say they want to lose weight, diet, or get fit, but they may have it too broad.
Think of some ways to make it more specific. Instead of saying you want to eat less, say “I want to eat an average of 1,800 calories a day,” or instead of saying you want to lose some weight, say “I want to lose 30 pounds by the first half of the year.”
The more specific, the better. This gives you a feeling of urgency, and plus, you can prove you succeeded. If you keep your goal vague, you may make excuses and claim you smashed the goal, when in reality, you did not.
Find the Right Number of Ambitions
Another mistake that people make is having too many goals, or not enough. With too many goals, you may feel overwhelmed or disappointed over the fact that you realistically can’t accomplish them all. On the other hand, you may feel underwhelmed if you only have one goal, or too intimidated if that single goal is complex.
Find that perfect number.
Learn from Failure
Finally, the most important rule is to learn from failure. This sounds obvious, but so many people do not listen and go for one of two extremes. They either beat themselves up over not getting everything done that they wanted, or they just shrug their shoulders and don’t try to improve.
The best way to handle failure is to realize that you could do better and learn from your mistakes, but take some time to celebrate what you did achieve. Everyone has achieved at least something this year, and by listing your achievements, it keeps everything in check as you pursue your ambitions.
Remember, you have a new year, and you can bring forth a “new you” but only if you work towards it, and figure out what’s right for you.
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.