List your goals

New Year’s Resolutions have become an important part of my summer holiday. Like many of you, I was tired of false self-promises and self-disappointment, and so a couple of years ago I decided to formalise my resolutions into an annual summer ritual. My friends and family know ‘the list’, and every year I sneak away to work on it.
This is not only a chance to think about the year ahead, but reflect on the year that has passed. An important part of knowing where you want to go is knowing where you felt you went wrong the year before. Find a quiet place or a place where you can be alone, and dedicate time to think things through. Jot down things you would like to achieve as they come to you, and then unpack these into specific activities you will need to do in order to make these a reality.
As this unfolds, some ideas will move away for better goals and you will slowly prioritise goals. In this process, start to visualise yourself doing these activities. If you can’t see yourself doing it, ditch it. Don’t create expectations for yourself which are unrealistic or seem overly uncomfortable or no fun. Be honest with yourself, but try your best to plan at least two or three goals that get you out of your comfort zone.
In essence, my resolutions are more than just a ‘I-want-to-lose-weight’ kind of list. It’s a list of specific activities and events that I want to be part of, that ultimately influence the kind of person I want to be. Just because you didn’t live up to all (or any) of your resolutions in 2013, doesn’t mean you don’t still owe it to yourself to sit down and think of the things that will make you a better person in 2014. Start to think of yourself as a brand that needs careful planning and motivating. Make this the best year of your life, no matter what life brings you!

1. Choose the right goals: Choose goals that mean something to you, and not your family or what you believe people ‘think’ you should be achieving.

2. Write it down: Did you know that 75% of what we write down gets done. Writing something down formalises the desire and alerts the brain. Take the time to make a list of things that you want to achieve in 2014. Display this list somewhere you can see it often. Try writing each activity (some goals are made up of several activities) on post-its. Stick these post-its around your cupboard or bedroom door.

3. Pace yourself: The difference between a dream and a goal is a deadline. Still, many of us make the mistake of trying to achieve everything at once, or too much too quickly. You have a year to achieve your goals (and some might even take longer). If you are really worried about getting stuff done, set manageable deadlines for yourself. But be kind and patient with yourself.

4. Get support: Share some of your goals with your friends and family, and ask them for support and encouragement. It can also be useful to identify people who share some of your goals. Find ways to work together to achieve these goals.

5. Ditch the time-wasters: An important part of achieving goals and success is learning to cut out time-wasters. Avoid distractions (too many coffee breaks and too much TV), and you will be amazed at how much time opens up for doing the stuff ‘you never get round to’ year in and year out.

6. Motivate yourself: No one was put on this earth to motivate you. Be your own best cheerleader. These are your goals after all. Find ways to compliment yourself every day. Use technology, by signing up to motivational sites that can send you inspirational messages every day. Some sites are even designed around specific goals.

7. What are you waiting for? We are our own greatest critics, and we spend too much time afraid of our own possibility. Start to visualise yourself as the person you want to be, and let go of the fear.
I look forward to meeting more of the people of Northern KZN in 2014. We live in an amazing part of the world, and the opportunities for happiness and success are bountiful.