Motivated for 2024 because you get to set new goals/resolutions? But…then February comes and you can’t even remember what those goals/resolutions were? You’re not alone!
First of all, if you haven’t set any goals yet and want to, be sure to read our quick guide on goal setting: https://www.thedrop303.org/featured/setting-goals-for-the-new-year-a-quick-guide/
Okay, it’s a new year and you are KICKING BUTT in your new goal, and then all the sudden, you hit a slump…you have no motivation because that ‘New Year, New Vibes’ energy has worn off and you feel unmotivated. OR maybe you had a great couple days and you fall off. OR maybe you don’t even remember what your goals for the new year were, and you are now trying to figure out where it all went wrong.
Regardless of where you are with your new year goals, remember that you can restart your goals ANYTIME and create new ones ANYTIME! A new year is a great ‘checkpoint’ but remember “It ain’t nothing but a g thang” (g in this case meaning goal)…
“The only thing that matters is what you gon’ do when you get up.” – T-Pain
Here are some ways to stay accountable and get back on track:
- Write down your goals in a notebook and review your goals every single day:
- REMEMER YOUR WHY! If you don’t know WHY you are working towards this goal, you aren’t going to feel motivated to keep going. On top of that, your goals should resonate with you.
- Do 1 small thing each day to help you get a little bit closer to your goals:
- Example: Your goal is to read 5 books. Read a chapter of 1 book each weekday before bed.
- Monitor your progress:
- Log every single time you do something that helps you towards your goal. This can be done with a habit tracker (if your goal is a habit), spreadsheet, notes app on your phone, or a notebook. This can also relate to that 1 thing you will do each day to help you get closer to your goal if it’s not an habitual based goal.
- Example #1, if your goal is to get 10,000 steps each day in 2024, log every single time you hit that, and if you didn’t, log that too. Think of why you didn’t get to 10,000 steps that day. It’s just as important to log the misses as it is to log the successes. Logging your ‘misses’ is a great way to figure out if that goal is still important to you and or if there are certain distractions keeping you from that specific goal.
- Example #2, if your goal is to write a book, track how many pages you are writing everyday, or if you haven’t started yet, track that you did some research you did on how to write a book! It can be anything that helped you become a bit closer to your goal that day. If your goal is not a habitual goal, then it’s important to log the 1 thing you do each day to help you get closer to your goal.
- Create a reward system:
- Our brains thrive on rewards, which is why instant gratification is such a big topic nowadays. If you associate your goal with a reward (related or not) then your brain begins to crave that association. In the book ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear he states “It starts with a cue, which creates a craving, which induces a response and leaves us with reward.“
- Give yourself small rewards for the small habits/’the one thing’ you do each day to help you get closer to your goal.
- Example #1: Your goal is to go to the gym three times a week, when you complete an exercise let yourself watch a funny video as a reward. Then extend that system even further, when you are done with your workout, get yourself that iced coffee or play your favorite video game.
- The end reward overall is accomplishing that goal, having that sense of satisfaction and accomplishment; however, sometimes it can be hard to see the light at the end of a very long goal tunnel. Having small rewards when breaking things down will help you stay motivated.
- Find an accountability partner:
- If your goal is to go on a run three days a week, find someone to do it with you and you will both keep each other accountable, it’s a win-win!
- Is your goal sort of obscure and you don’t know how you would have an accountability partner? Use your bestie…that could be your phone, your cat, your dog, or even your actual bestie! Is your goal to put out a new song this year? Set alarms on your phone to remind you when you write or call your friend every single time you make progress. Will they be annoyed? Not if you also present them with something similar! Say they have to call you in relation to their goals as well. Again, a win-win!
- How do your pets play into this? Well, that sappy face when you don’t get up in the morning to take your morning goal walk will certainly keep you accountable.
- Overall, having an accountability partner of some sort will help keep things moving along.
Overall, remember you are a Human BEING and not a Human DOING. Things change, life happens and what we wanted to accomplish in the beginning of the year may not be the same thing you want in the middle of 2024. Being flexible and giving ourselves grace when setting goals and resolutions is just as important as being disciplined and accountable. We all have off days, weeks, and even months sometimes. Sometimes we get sick and miss our ‘1 thing’ or daily log. Sometimes we also get burnt out, and that’s okay! Find the things that work best for you, and run with it!
We wish you a Happy New Year and happy goal setting!
Have a goal you’re working towards? Let us know about it! Post on social media, tag us! @thedrop303