Stop Hitting Pause on Reaching Your Goals

Many of us open every new year with different resolutions and goals that we hope to achieve. The inspiration of “new year, new you” pushes us along and revives the motivation that may have been lost in the previous year.

We set goals with the greatest intentions to better ourselves and improve our quality of life through self-improvement or perhaps being of service to others. As time marches on and “life” happens, maintaining that momentum can be a struggle.

Now that we’re in the second month of the new year, it’s the perfect time to rethink the strategies we often use for reaching our goals and figure out ways to prevent ourselves from getting distracted or pressing pause.

In Kinetiq Health’s latest Well-Being Webinar, How to Quit Hitting Pause on Your Goals, Wellness Coach Rachel Schoening suggested a different kind of game plan to help change your mindset when it comes keeping on track.

Small Changes

One of the biggest pieces of wisdom shared during her webinar was that “small changes add up over time,” and those slight adjustments can help habits form or evolve. Sometimes the smallest alterations add up – and finishing one small task often leads to finishing another and then another.

A helpful tool to implement this strategy is BJ Fogg’s “Tiny Habits Recipe Card” which suggests linking small changes with a previously established habit to help you remember to employ desired changes in your life. Of course, always remember to celebrate yourself and your achievements to reinforce your new habits!

Progress at Your Own Pace

Another great strategy is the Precision Nutrition Volume Knob. This tool can be applied to several areas of your life (not just diet) and it’s customizable for your specific goal or resolution, Rachel said. In a total of five steps, you can work at your own pace and make progress without feeling overwhelmed.

• Step 1: Consider areas of life where you’d like to change or improve
• Step 2: Ask, “What’s the absolute MOST I could do?” That’s your 10
• Step 3: Ask, “What’s the absolute LEAST?” That’s your 1
• Step 4: Use 1 and 10 to fill in the other points on the dial
• Step 5: Refer to your dial when life gets busy (or slows down)

With the Precision Nutrition Volume Knob, you can choose to take steps backward and regroup when life gets rough, instead of stopping your progress altogether.

No matter what your goal or new desired habit for 2022 may be, it is important to remember that changing the way you play the game can help prevent you from sitting on the bench. Preparing in advance for obstacles that may arise as “life happens” can help keep you on track. Consider these strategies and be confident that – with the right game plan – you can achieve anything.