The Super Bowl was on Sunday and my home team, the San Francisco 49ers, lost. After watching the game, my family and friends were all left with an empty feeling inside. Due to all the anticipation and hype of the game, when our team lost, it was like thinking, well, now what? How to we keep up the spirit and motivation?
This loss made me think of my current New Year’s goals and how they are going so far. How am I maintaining my motivation if the goals have had a rocky start? Where am I at with my goals and where do I still need to go?
Here are 3 essential tips on how to keep up the motivation when time has passed, and maybe (most likely) we haven’t achieved our goals yet and we still have some way to go.
#1. Re-evaluate the goals you have set. Take a look at your goals and make sure they are still S.M.A.R.T. goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely). Mini-goals are key to long-term success because they help break ideas down so that it’s easier to track and perform them.
#2. Get A Buddy! Accountability is huge in keeping us in check. My goal for the month of January was to go to dance class twice a week and lift weights twice a week. I’ve been going to dance class because I have a girlfriend to go with me. However, the weights have been sporadic. I’m going to fix this by getting a friend to check on me and we’ll tag-team one another with our accountability.
#3. Reward Your Self. Yes: simple rewards are fabulous. Each time you achieve your goal you set out to do, treat yourself with something. It can be as simple as a candle-lit bath at night, a mani/pedi, reading a good book, or watching some trashy television. Whatever the reward is, make it a weekly situation. This way, you stick to your weekly goal-setting.
Stick to these 3 tips and you’ll continue to strive towards your goals and not let them fall to the way-side. Remember, we’ve got a year to go and we’ve only just begun! I definitely don’t want to set the same goal next year!
What are your goals and what are your rewards?
By Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN