6 Steps to Setting Goals for 2017

As everyone is enjoying the Christmas and holiday season, now's the perfect time to reflect on this past year and look ahead to new year. As you kick back to watch the football bowl games on TV, don't forget to take some time to your new year's resolutions for 2017.

Let's start with the definition of resolution. Resolution: to decide to change or improve something about yourself.

How is your resolve? Our intentions are good, but our resolve weakens the further we get into the year. Hopefully, everyone has already established their personal and professional goals for 2017. If you haven’t, today is the day to start the new year off right. While everyone else has settled down for the holidays, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what it is that you want to accomplish next year and HOW do you plan to do it?

A recent poll reported that 84% of Americans make at least one resolution. However, only 28% of us follow through in trying to keep them. And, of those who do follow through, 25% of the resolutions we do make will totally be abandoned within the first 15 weeks. Those who do manage to make a resolution last for longer than 6 months have usually tried to keep it 6 times previously without succeeding.

Setting Goals for 2017: Now’s the time for establishing our Action Plan for the new year. Goals should be measurable, obtainable, and easily accountable. We need to dig down deep inside for what we’re willing to do to overcome all obstacles in our way to accomplish our goal.

Here are 6 Steps to Success!

1. Have a GOAL.- Goals must be clear, specific, detailed, definite, achievable, written down, measurable, and reviewed often.

2. Have a Plan for that goal. Write it down on paper.

3. Prioritize your action plan, and be specific.

4. Schedule- How much time? What kind of activities will you do each week?

5. Implement- When are you going to start? How much time on each activity?

6. Measure and Monitor your goal and action plan periodically. We must understand the value & how you benefit. What are the consequences if I don’t achieve it?

CREATE A NEW HABIT-

Practice changing your habit.

Evaluate your goals every 90 days. We have good ideas and not so good ones. The world changes as well. Develop consistency and follow through. It takes discipline and a positive attitude to change an old habot. Treat your new habit as an appointment. Be goal oriented, develop a daily schedule. What one thing will I change in next 30 days?

To Assure Success, Select a Goal that…is urgent and compelling- a real attention-getter, is a first-step goal achievable in a short period of time- in weeks rather than months, is bottom-line result, discrete, and measurable. Select a goal that makes you feel ready, willing, and able to accomplish- a motivator. You should schedule the most difficult takes in the morning. Don't forget to schedule fun time and important family time in your weekly schedule.

• Avoid the Quick-Fix Mentality- start a one-year personal growth and development project.
• Set a goal, develop a plan, and read books & videos
• Above all, avoid the temptation of trying to become the best too quickly.
• Avoid procrastination, and give yourself time. There is a reason for everything-even success
• The keys to success are patience and foresight.