January 17th is a day that might not stand out on most people’s calendars. But for many, it represents a wall that stops them dead in their tracks. It’s the day that most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions and revert back to the same behavior they swore they would give up just weeks earlier.
Of course, this isn’t to say that your New Year’s resolution is destined to fail. In fact, four out of ten people will stick to their resolution for at least six months, which isn’t bad. But the biggest mistake most people make is simply setting goals that are too high. If we expect to see a big change and fail to achieve it right away, we quickly get discouraged and eventually give up. So when working toward any goal, it’s important to give yourself a small win that will build your confidence for the next, slightly bigger goal.
Be realistic
Research shows that when people set realistic goals, they are much more likely to meet them and go on to set another. Just think, if you want to run a marathon, but your biggest race to date is running to catch the elevator, then you’ve set a goal that’s 26.2 miles away. It’s time to forget about the marathon. Just focus on running to the end of the block first. Likewise, if your goal is to change your mindset this year, cut out negativity and master mindfulness, it might be wise to start with something much more attainable, like a few minutes of quite meditation each day. Like the saying goes, “The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.”
Hold yourself accountable
Once you have an attainable goal in mind, don’t let it go. Make your goal part of your schedule. Pencil in those morning meditations, Tuesday runs, or Friday home-cooked meals. You don’t even have to cancel wine Wednesdays. Just make your goal part of your day or week. This is where the Enlightenment Planner comes in handy!
Track your progress
Next, you have to track your progress so you can gradually step it up. The whole point of taking only one bite at a time is to eventually finish the (proverbial) elephant. When you can flip back through your Enlightenment Planner and see the progress you’ve made, it becomes easier to push yourself that little bit further each day.
Reaching your goals does not have to be hard. As long as you remember to be realistic, hold yourself accountable and track your progress, it can be easy to stay on the path to achieving what you set out to. Enlightenment Planner was designed to help you disconnect from distractions by making self-reflection a part of your daily routine. It’s a tool to explore your inner ambitions and personalize your own journey to achieving your goals through a better, more mindful outlook.