SHOULD I SET A NEW YEAR GOAL?
It’s that time again where we start to reflect on the year that has been and the year to come. For many of us, we like to reflect on both the wins and losses with hopes to set some new goals moving forward. Hopefully, you have experienced more wins than losses and successfully achieved all of your 2022 goals. However, if that is not you, that’s okay!
Big goals take time. Big goals are not easy. But big goals are always worth it! It is my hope with this article to provide some support and tips on ways to improve your success in 2023.
Let's get started!
THINGS TO CONSIDER
First, should you even set goals to start on New Years Day? While some people might scoff at new year goals, I love them. They are a fresh start for all of us – even if we were successful the previous year. And no, there is nothing special or magically about starting something on 1/1, but mentally, we still experience something known as the “fresh start effect”. Researchers have suggested this is a practical way to take advantage of motivated feelings but also allow people to strategically and creatively create a turning point in their own lives (1). So think of something big. Think of something that might even be life changing. Think about those goals, get excited, and get ready to start on 1/1!
The End! Just kidding 😊
And while I would love it if we only had to start on New Years Day and we would all be successful, that is simply not the case. As I said earlier, these goals you have are challenging so some preparation is needed. So, let's focus on a few things that can increase your likelihood of success in the new year.
PROCESS OVER OUTCOME!
So you just set a goal to run a marathon, lose 50 pounds, or do 10 pull-ups, that’s exciting! Then, on January 1st you go for a run or step on the scale – excitement gone. Now you are filled with overwhelming feelings of how long it is going to take, how much work you might have to do, or how freaking hard it is actually going to be. The good news? That is normal! Once again, big goals are hard and should be scary. So what should you do? Focus on the process and not the outcome!
Researchers highlight that focusing on the process of weight loss or the process of running a marathon is more importantthan the outcome because we often underestimate the length of our goal anyway (2). So if your goal is running, focus on running three days every week without fail. If your goal is weight loss, focus on hitting 25 grams or more or fiber a day. If your focus is lifting, focus on simply adding 5lbs to your lifts every few weeks or using less and less assistance on those pull-ups. Small steps are not nearly as overwhelming but after doing them week in and week out, and you might be surprised how much progress you make toward your outcome.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT!
Now you might be thinking, yeah I know, accountability and support are important and I have them, next point. However, before you skip over, I want you to reflect if you really have them and if you have really ASKED for them. I know for myself, I can confidently say my wife and friends support me. My wife lets me carve time into my schedule to lift and my friends push me whenever we train together. However, just doing that is not the accountability or support I might need to actually be successful. So what should you do? Be specific! Ask for specific accountability and support. Research shows that when accountability and support is specifically targeted to the needs of those pursuing a goal, people are significantly more successful in both hitting the goal and also maintaining the goal (3).
So if you have people willing to support you and provide accountability, make sure to tell them SPECIFICALLY what you need. Tell them to text you to go run in the morning since you know you won’t do it at the end of the day. Tell them to ask you how your fiber intake is going since you know you will be tempted to buy a quick meal then prep the night before. Research shows that the more specific you are in telling them your goals and what kind of support you need, the more successful you will likely become!
MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY!
Most importantly, you need to ask yourself (and honestly answer), are you ready to change? If the answer is no, that's okay. With every goal we have, we are in different stages of readiness (4). For some goals, we are simply contemplating if it is worth it or not while other goals we know are worth it, we have a planned attack, and we are ready to go. If we are just casually thinking about it and not truly ready, success will be harder!
So what can you do? Really take some time to process your goal. Why do you want to do it? Is it for you or for someone else? Does it add value to your life? Is it worth sacrificing other things in your life to hit this goal? These might be hard questions but hard goals might bring hard questions. There is no point to start a goal if you are not ready. So, make sure the goal is worth it to you, make sure you are ready to start, and make sure you have a plan before your start.
REMEMBER…
Efficient self-change depends on doing the right things at the right time.
So, if you are ready to change, you have a plan to maximize the process, and you sought out specific accountability, then get excited and set those New Year Goals!
REFERENCES
Dai, H., Milkman, K. L., & Riis, J. (2014). The fresh start effect: Temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior. Management Science, 60(10), 2563-2582.
Furman, C. R., & Rothman, A. J. (2020). Behavioral Benefits of a Process‐Focused Workout Program: A Quasi‐Experimental Test. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being, 12(3), 808-827.
Oscarsson, M., Carlbring, P., Andersson, G., & Rozental, A. (2020). A large-scale experiment on New Year’s resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PLoS One, 15(12), e0234097.
Prochaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C., & Norcross, J. C. (1997). In search of how people change: applications to addictive behaviors.
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR - COACH BRAD