Three surprisingly effective ways to accomplish all your goals in 2019
Let’s start with the bad news.
There’s damning evidence from the American Psychological Association that a staggering 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions will fail by February.
But, why do sacred promises, seemingly written in stone by a tipsy hopeful on December 31st, sink quicker than a bad blind date by Valentine’s Day?
And what can we do to be part of the top 20 per cent that succeed?
Here at PROMiXX HQ, we have dubbed this year #DoThousand19 (The year of DOING), and, although we don’t mean to assume that you have already lost sight of your goals for this year, we are here to help you get back on track (or stay on track) with these 3 Surprisingly Effective Ways to Accomplish Your Goals in 2019.
Prolonged negative thinking can be detrimental to your physical and mental health, and those stuck in this vicious cycle report higher episodes of depression, anxiety and an overall dissatisfaction with life.
However, those careful to avoid falling into this cycle, sometimes fall into the opposite yet equally destructive trap of living with ‘false hope syndrome’; a condition defined by the American Psychological Association as those approaching a task with “unrealistic expectations about the likely speed, amount, ease, and consequences.”
To over-simplify this theory, anyone with the muscle tone of a greyhound in December picturing themselves walking on a beach in June looking like Conor McGregor’s stunt double is almost certain to fail.
However, that person can reach their desired physical shape by making the following bitesize promise:
‘I will follow this beginner’s workout plan for three months.'
'I will AIM to lift weights on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays for 30-40 minutes.’
By including the word ‘AIM’, and without evoking an unattainable mental image, the plan is flexible, considers the inevitable fact that there will be a Monday evening where working out will not be possible, and is broken down into small goals that are achievable.
- Get a Friend to Judge You
Anyone witnessing a Mexican wave at a football game will see that humans are social animals and, like a misunderstood nerd in a 1980’s teen drama, we just want to be accepted.
Telling a close friend or family member that you will do something improves your chances of success because of the healthy amount of social pressure added to the project.
Those watching your back can also act as a loving parent and give you a much-needed telling off when they see you lighting up a cigarette on a night out or eating a breeze-block sized slice of cheesecake after an hour on the treadmill.
- Remember the Value of Failure
The word failure has negative connotations and is overlooked by many as a valuable and essential stepping stone to success.
If you don’t believe this, try reading the autobiography of any notable person, and see if you can go from start to finish without reading a chapter on getting fired, getting divorced, struggling in school, facing a career slump or any other bumps in the road life throws our way.
The reality is, most people will fail at a new venture around 7-10 times before achieving success, which shows what an excellent learning experience failure can be when viewed with a positive mind.
Saying to a struggling student, “The wrong answers you got on this test show what you can study for next time,” is a lot more productive than saying “You failed and should have worked harder.” Don’t be your own dreaded teacher!
So, if you’re looking to develop a new business, get into shape or improve your mind, remember the great value of stumbling blocks, and always, always get up after falling.
#DoThousand19