It’s that time of year again…You know, ‘new year, new me’ nonsense where the gyms are packed (OK, perhaps not this year), and people are using the first of January to signify the start of an improved ‘me.’ While many of our goals and resolutions fall by the wayside in February, or even by MLK Day (ehemm), there are actually proven tactics to design and keep goals throughout the year.
Specificity Matters
“I want to be stronger in 2021.” How do you define stronger? Is being able to do one more push-up or bench 2.5 pounds more weight enough for success? Your goals should be very specific and defined so there are no gray areas. “I want to squat 405 pounds by the end of 2021🏋️♀️.” Tangibility matters — if you don’t utilize numbers and precision, your definition of success could vary greatly by year end. Also, while the saying, “shoot for the moon, if you miss you’ll land among the stars” can be motivating (albeit a tad cliche), it doesn’t really work for goal setting. If you’ve never squatted a single pound in your life, targeting 405 in a year is unrealistic. And if that happens to be untrue, please send me your workout and diet regimen immediately.
🎯Target Check Points and Mini Successes
Look, you’re not going to reach that goal by January 2nd (otherwise, you may need to rethink your goals). If your resolution is to save $10,000 for the year, you should set smaller targets in order to achieve your end goal. A journey is built out of small steps to reach the peak of the mountain⛰️. “On April 1st, I will have saved $2,500.” This way, you’re not struggling on December 31st to find the $9,000 you’re short (and betting massively on football). This is another area where specificity matters — if your goals are measurable and tangible, it’s easier to also set mini-goals along the way. As our resident Italian writer would tell you, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” (he also couldn’t squat 10 lbs. to save his life).
Counting on Accountability
When you create your own goals and define your own success, how do you hold yourself accountable?! For many of us, ‘Dry January’ lasted 4 days…or 4 hours (… or 4 minutes 🤭). Relying purely on yourself for accountability, it’s very easy to brush off failures, or ignore your goals completely. A few tips:
Sharing is caring — Whether it’s with a spouse, significant other, best friend, or pet hamster, share your goals with someone else. Research has shown that having a partner makes success significantly more likely…sometimes more fun as well. Even if your goals are independent of one another’s, making yourself answerable to someone helps commitments stick.
Reward thyself — Successfully diet for 2 weeks straight? Eat a cookie! Whether big or small, celebrate each win. Small successes helps to maintain momentum and reinforce confidence.
Write it down — This is where the Resources and Tools section of this newsletter is key. Whether you’re a visual learner or not, it helps to write down your goals. Keep some post-its near your desk, or even on your mirror each morning. Set reminders in your phone for daily or weekly check-ins. Make sure you know why you’re working toward a goal…otherwise these friendly reminders won’t be so friendly.
Resources and Tools
It wouldn’t be an Unfold Weekly without a few software and product plugs. For those who still prefer the feeling of a page turn 📚 to a Kindle, check out Simple Self. They have multiple products that help maintain work-life balance and keep your goals in check. Our favorite is the Desk Planning Pad.
For those who rely on their 📱 to track their daily habits, we have a few favorite apps to help with your yearly (or daily) goals. Grid Diary is an excellent app for holding yourself accountable and tracking your daily progress. Think of it as a “journal of the future.” Need a simple “To-Do” app and goal planner? Productive helps you build new habits and challenge yourself to achieve your goals. Its simple, beautiful interface is extremely effective. For the many of you who focus on fitness goals, there are a plethora of apps to get you started and keep you motivated.
A Few of Our Goals
I personally like to split my goals across a few different areas:
Professional: Take six external classes (Udemy, Coursera) to help my improve my technical knowledge and expertise. A few I have marked: SQL Bootcamp, iOS App Development, Amazon Reselling, Day Drinking, etc.
Mental: Read one book per month. On paper, this seems relatively simple. IRL, with a new puppy and my mild obsession with anything NBA🏀, this is slightly more challenging. Here’s an opportunity where I can utilize my significant other to hold me accountable.
Physical: Earn my AA card in beach volleyball🏐. To do this, I’ll need to win an A-level tournament. Let’s hope the pandemic eases up a bit so volleyball tournaments can resume in California again.
What about our readers? What are some goals you have made this year, and how do you hold yourself accountable? Let us know!