At the time of writing this blog post, we are 5 month into 2022. Let’s ask ourselves a tough question, how is that New Years Resolution coming along? Have we accomplished it? Have we stuck with it? For many of us, I think the answer is no. Well between you and me, I am tired of setting goals for myself and not accomplishing them. Sometimes, when I fail to complete a goal I set for myself, I feel worse than if I would have never had set the goal for myself in the first place. I feel like I am better off not setting a goal because I will probably just fail like I did last time. That is no way to live. To combat this issue, here are a few tips to accomplish your goals.
- Write it down – When making a new goal it can be beneficial to write down your goals. Once an idea is transferred from your brain to paper it can seem more real. Like a contract from your old self to your new self. I have even heard of some people writing their goals and then signing it to make it seem even more official.
- Keep a calendar – If your goal involves you having to do something or not do something on certain days, it can be helpful to cross out or put a check mark on the dates you made progress. Looking at a calendar of all of the days you have completed something can really keep you motivated to continue
- Tell a friend – Similar to writing it down, but potentially way more effective is telling your friend your goals. A good friend can keep you accountable when times get tough. Make sure the friend you are sharing with is a friend who can handle you wanting to improve yourself. I can tell you from personal experience, sharing your self-improvement goals with the wrong people can lead to discouragement. Some people do not like the idea of you wanting to and making progress towards a better life while they are not making changes that they know they should be.
- Forgive yourself – There will be setbacks. Do not beat yourself up or practice negative self-talk. We all fail and we all fall down, but what matters is how many times we pick ourselves up and keep going.
- Remember why – Taking time to remember why you are attempting to improve your life can help you continue. Your why is the fuel for your progress.
- Seek a mentor – No matter what your goal is, someone out there has wanted and accomplished that goal. Seek that person out. Most of the time, if you can connect with a person like this, they will be willing to help you in doing the same thing. People love feeling like they are the experts, treat them that way and they will open up and share all the hacks they used for self improvement.
- Pray Constantly – Maybe this one is obvious, but it is the most important one. If God wants this change in your life and you are connecting with Him, change will occur. I will let you know though, the change may not be the one you originally wanted, but I have never met someone who trusted God fully to help them improve their lives or their character who wasn’t a better person in the end. Trust in the Lord to guide you to where He wants you.
These are just different ideas and ways for you to accomplish your goals or to make them stick. Improving your life is not always the easiest task, but if your goals are good and true, your Friend and Savior can help.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
