How are you tracking with your 2018 goals? Yeah, I’ve slipped a bit too and have to be mindful to be kind myself as it is a marathon not a sprint. You’re probably wondering why I point out how long it takes to establish a habit. Did you know that “on average, it takes more than 2 months before a behavior becomes automatic – 66 days to be exact?” Honestly I had been believing it was 21 days or a month so it was news to me. Silly me, explains why I’ve yet to nail a few goals myself – I didn’t give them enough time!
With that in mind now may be a good time to review what has been sidetracking you so far this month. Perhaps goal setting hasn’t been your strong suit and you’ve realized that your original goal wasn’t as realistic as you thought – too big, not specific? Maybe there were a few hiccups and you gave up – indulged at a football playoff party? Or, maybe you are not so great at holding yourself accountable – time for a partner?
Now is the time to pull yourself up by your boot straps, set the excuses aside and chart a new course. Because guess what, 2018 is going to move quickly. With the new found knowledge that it takes about two months to really solidify a goal (depending on the size of it), habit or resolution, what would you really like to accomplish? With the answer at hand, here are some quick steps to help you get there:
Is it specific? I’m going to lose 20 pounds by eating a more clean diet and working out.
Does it have a timeframe? I’ll lose the 20 pounds by March 31st, 2018.
Who or how can you hold yourself accountable? My BFF will be my accountability partner for eating right and working out.
How will you measure success? When I’ve kept the 20 pounds by the end of 2018
What is your plan for sticking with the new habit or change once you’ve achieved it? Creating new, healthy eating and working out routines.
And if you still feel stuck give me a ring and we strategize and go deeper on how to make you successful in creating change that is lasting in 2018 and beyond. It is time to stop overthinking and time to start doing!