Results coach Jana Schuberth gives top tips on how to create lasting change for the brand new year.
Raise your hand if you have chosen the same New Year’s resolution as last year, or worse still, the same one as the year before that! Perhaps it’s a goal you’ve had in mind for a long time, like finally losing those 10 pounds, changing jobs or finding a life partner? Learn how to really pull through and make it happen this year by following some simple steps. Get out a pen and paper and make your own Massive Action Plan.
Create exciting, specific outcomes
What is the result, the outcome you are REALLY committed to achieving? What is it you really, really want? You may say you want to lose weight but what might be underneath that is to feel loved, be in a relationship or feel fit and no longer out of breath when you walk up the stairs. Make your desired outcome as specific as you can: ‘I want to feel amazing in my body and be proud of releasing 10lbs with ease and fun, doing exercise that I enjoy, by the 31st of March 2013’.
Know why you want it
So you have decided to finally pay off your credit card and save up some money for a nice holiday with your partner. Why do you REALLY want to do that? What will it give you? It’s not really about the holiday, is it? Maybe you really want to find some time to connect with him or her again, rekindle your love, or you want some variety in your life and are hoping to create some excitement by travelling. Or maybe you simply want to feel financially free in order to be a better mother or father to your kids and not stress about money all the time. Know why you want what you want and gain some leverage. What makes this change a MUST now? What would it cost you NOT to achieve the outcome?
Create a new identity
The biggest desire for any human is to be in alignment with one’s chosen identities. We
all have rules about ourselves, who we are in certain roles. For example: I am a mother who puts her children first. I am a conservative. I am a Brit. I am a non-smoker. We will always align our actions with those rules and they will pull us towards the identity. There is a difference between saying ‘It’s been 17 days since I smoked’ and ‘I am a non-smoker’. Get playful and write a description of who you are when you have achieved your outcome.
Get support
We all know that when you make a public announcement about what you want to achieve we feel much more compelled to actually go and do it! Why not use this in your favour and create some accountability by asking friends and family for their support and to slap your wrist when you’re grabbing those extra biscuits. Change doesn’t happen overnight, it has to be conditioned like any other habit formed before. Also, these pals are perfect for milestone parties. Never forget to celebrate your successes, no matter how small!
About Jana
