We’re not going to tease you about what that one thing is. The thing to do to meet your goals next year:
Lower your expectations.
What?
That can’t be it, you say. That sounds like giving up. We need to beat ourselves up, crack the whip, set some standards. What if none of that is true? What if the biggest obstacle to meeting your goals is the fact you’re setting the wrong goals?
Everyone has that friend who decides they’re going to do something and just does it. But most of us are human – and for us, it just doesn’t happen like that. We struggle to meet the goals we set. Lowering your expectations is not giving up, it’s getting smart.
Take your goal, whatever it might be, and figure out what needs to happen to meet it, then make those things goals.
For example:
Weight Loss Goals
- Instead of resolving to lose 30 pounds, lower expectations by resolving to:
- Reduce or cut out sugary sodas from your diet.
- Cook more at home.
- Eat less processed food.
Exercise Goals
- Instead of resolving to run a 10k with your fitness-buff friends, lower expectations by resolving to:
- Jog for 10 minutes without stopping.
- Jog a mile without stopping.
- Run/jog a mile in 10 minutes.
Social Goals
- Instead of resolving to spend more time with friends and family, lower expectations by resolving to:
- Respond to their texts without making them wait.
- Answer the phone when they call or respond quickly.
- Set up weekly facetime or zooms with people you love and don’t cancel.
See?
Lowering your expectations is not giving up. It’s not avoiding hard or difficult things or living a life without goals or aspirations. Here’s what it really is:
Setting yourself up for success.
Therefore, when you make your resolutions this year, consider this advice from us here at BACA: make them smarter, not harder!
