The New Year has historically been seen as the perfect time to hit the reset button and start fresh. And while you can do it any time of year, resolving to improve the areas of your life that you've been meaning to improve for some time is a great way to get motivated again.

So, I thought I would put together a simple guide to help set goals and resolutions for the New Year. I think it will help set you on the path to quickly reach your goals and reach success faster than if you try to do it on your own.  

And if you would, I’m growing my high performance community, so if you would help to get the word out by  liking and sharing the post for me. And do subscribe for even more exclusive content.

Follow Through With a Plan

OK So, one of the first things to consider is starting with working plan towards your goal, In recent posts I’ve been highlighting how to break big, hairy, audacious goals down into smaller bite-sized ones. That way you’re able to bite off and one piece at a time. Listen, a common reason why people fail when it comes to their goals and resolutions is that they fail to plan out a realistic path in a way that is in harmony with the rest of their busy life.  Adding in something new might work at first, but over time it can eat into everything you already have on your plate. So people might have the idea of what they want to accomplish, but typically fall short in how they add it into their daily lives. Where it fits into their daily or weekly schedule can be the determining factor when it comes to success over the long run.

It's easy to say: "I want to be more productive" or "I want to learn a musical instrument this year" So - also - keep in mind that new resolutions and goals will often take you more time and energy and planning than you might initially think. The fact is that there’s a lot more involved with learning anything new - say like a musical instrument, for example.

Just remember that sticking with your goals beyond the initial excitement is going to require you to be tough and persistent if you’re going to push through. Remember that most people give up when it gets inconvenient or uncomfortable.  But you're not most people, are you?

You're different because, unlike most people, you're going to take a more intentional path. You can create a clear and realistic plan to lead you forward. 

It really comes down to dedication and persistence. So if you're planning on being more productive this year, for instance, set out by, defining how you're going to do that. How exactly do you plan to do that? Are you going to be more intentional? Set up a (better) system, maybe? Or should you get serious about this and invest in hiring a coach or someone else to hold you accountable?

The choice really comes down to how badly you want it, doesn’t it? 

Be Realistic

So let’s be real. Staying realistic when it comes to your goals is important. Many people in my industry will tell you that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. And there is truth in that statement. So yes, you can definitely achieve the big things in life.  But what I’ll say about that is if you want to reach a really big long-term goal, that you’ll find much more success and happiness in breaking it up into parts. Big goals are much more likely to be achieved when you break them down into smaller ones. I think that goes without saying. So give yourself a realistic chance at reaching success with a daily or weekly action plan to work towards your goal. Build the momentum and celebrate all the little successes along the way. 

Visualize the Outcome

And when you run into snags in the road - as you're bound to do with anything in life from time to time - it will help you to visualize yourself reaching your end goal. Visualization is a really powerful technique because it can make you feel the success that you’re working towards. And because your brain can’t tell the difference, visualizing the outcome is a motivation tool that will help you to continue to work hard to make it happen.

The Right Attitude

And finally, when you're approaching your life and goals with the right attitude, you can go far. It's true that all you need to do is believe in yourself. In fact, you've probably realized that if you don't believe that you can accomplish something, you simply won't. Like Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” 

So, an optimistic attitude is critical to your success. You can’t expect to achieve great things if you don't believe in yourself! Think about how you felt when you first set your goal. Chances are you felt really excited about it you had an excellent attitude about it.  So try to maintain that attitude throughout your journey to success with your goals.

Once you've determined a realistic goal and divided it up into short, achievable tasks, you're bound for success as long as you take action to complete each step. So go ahead and make that resolution to be a top achiever, to be more productive and perform at a higher level across all the domains in your life, and set your goals knowing that this year is going to be your most successful yet!

So, that's your Performance and Productivity message for today. If you would, go ahead and like the post for me and if you’d like to add something or have a question for me, you can leave those in the comments. I

If you’d like to check out some more high performance blogs, there are links for you, and you can subscribe right now. Also, head over to damienvanderburg.com for even more awesome content. 

So until next time my friends, stay hungry, stay hungry to improve, stay hungry to serve and to get in there and make a difference in the world. And until then, my friend, I’m certified high performance coach, Damien Vanderburg, your coach for life.