A ROOM WITH A POINT OF VIEW
HOW GOOD ARE YOU IN SETTING NEW YEAR GOALS?
Image credit: YUSUF CELIK on Pexels.
It starts with a fervour. As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, people raise their glass, bid a bittersweet farewell to the year before, and declare that this year will be the best one yet.
They’ll eat healthier, exercise more, and finally lose weight. In the pre-COVID era, gym memberships would spike. And then some time in March the gyms would become noticeably quieter, with more parking and elliptical machines available.
Why do so many people struggle to live up to their New Year’s resolutions? Why do they lose momentum? According to a study by Psych Tests, it’s all in the approach. To goal-setting, that is.
Examining data from 9,654 who took their Goal-Setting Test, researchers at PsychTests analyzed the attitudes, personality, and behaviours of three distinct groups: Those who tend to achieve most/all goals they set, those who achieve a few goals, and those who don’t achieve any.
Here’s where they differed:
As wonderfully carefree as it may be to simply go with the flow, 65 per cent of goal-achievers recognize the importance of making solid plans for the future. They’re clear about what they want to achieve, when, and how (compared to 52 per cent of moderate achievers and 33 per cent of non-achievers).
77 per cent of goal-achievers (vs. 49 per cent of moderate achievers and 14 per cent of non-achievers) set appropriate goals. This means establishing aspirations that are challenging yet reasonable. Successful goal-achievers know that a “30-pounds-in-30-days” type of objective is unreasonable and doomed to fail.
At the same time, 78 per cent goal-achievers refuse to short-change themselves. They won’t set their sights unreasonably high, but they also won’t set them too low. They want a goal that will push them and encourage growth and self-improvement (compared to 54 per cent of moderate achievers and 32 per cent of non-achievers).
Once they set their sights on a goal, 79 per cent of goal-achievers will get started on it right away. Thus, if their objective is to lose weight, they will immediately get started on, perhaps, a new diet plan, join a gym, hire a personal trainer, etc. (compared to 54 per cent of moderate achievers and 29 per cent of non-achievers). Procrastination smothers goal-achievement efforts!
One of the most important aspects of the goal-setting process is the planning. The majority of goal-achievers (65 per cent vs. 52 per cent of moderate achievers and 39 per cent of non-achievers) plan out exactly how they will accomplish their goal. They also include a very crucial step: Planning for potential obstacles they may run into and how to overcome them (for example, how to continue to eat healthy even when going to a party, restaurant, or on vacation).
Just like climbing stairs, goals should not be taken on in one large leap.
Case in point: 74 per cent of goal-achievers break down large goals into smaller, more manageable steps (compared to 52 per cent of moderate achievers and 28 per cent of non-achievers). So for example, rather than setting a weight loss goal in grand terms (lose 40 pounds), they take it one week at a time and one pound at a time. Or they cut out unhealthy foods bit by bit rather than immediately going cold turkey, which can prove to be much more difficult to stick to in the long-term.
78 per cent of goal-achievers (compared to 63 per cent of moderate achievers and 43 per cent of non-achievers) keep themselves motivated with small rewards after reaching certain milestones (like losing the first 10 pounds). In addition, 81 per cent of goal-achievers (compared to 56 per cent of moderate achievers and 26 per cent of non-achievers) have a protocol set up to keep them motivated, either through pep talks, support from family and friends, a personal trainer, life coach, etc.
68 per cent of goal-achievers (compared to 49 per cent of moderate achievers and 35 per cent of non-achievers) evaluate the progress of their goal at set intervals (e.g. every week or once a month). These regular “pit stops” allow them to determine if they need to make modifications to their approach or goal (e.g. change exercise routine, push the deadline a little further because they were too sick to exercise for a few days, etc.).
75 per cent of goal-achievers (compared to 52 per cent of moderate achievers and 21 per cent of non-achievers) recognize the importance of being patient. They accept that some goals take time and that they might not see tangible results of their efforts right away.
77 per cent of goal-achievers (compared to 51 per cent of moderate achievers and 29 per cent of non-achievers) harness the power of their mind by visualizing themselves completing their goal successfully.
91 per cent of goal-achievers (compared to 77 per cent of moderate achievers and 58 per cent of non-achievers) refuse to allow self-doubt to hinder their efforts. They believe in themselves and in their ability to succeed.
While being able to achieve goals without help is a noble endeavour, 82 per cent of goal-achievers (compared to 72 per cent of moderate achievers and 59 per cent of non-achievers) recognize the importance of being humble, and asking for guidance when necessary. They are not afraid to swallow their pride and accept a helping hand.
“If you’ve been reintroducing the same resolutions every year for the past couple of years and have made little progress, it’s time to take a critical look at your goal-setting approach,” explains Dr. Ilona Jerabek, president of Psych Tests.
“Setting goals is a good first step, but you can’t just set a vague goal and leave it at that. Sit down and write out your goal in detail: What exactly do you want to accomplish? Why do you want to accomplish this goal? What steps do you need to take to get the ball rolling? What will you do to keep yourself motivated? How will you reward yourself? These are all important aspects of the goal-achievement process that you need to establish... you need to plan ahead. Goal-achievers are like marathon runners – they realize that while it’s important to have an end goal, it’s the process of getting there that really matters. And if you’re struggling with your weight loss goal, financial goal, quitting smoking or whatever your resolution may be, don’t be afraid to engage the help of a trainer or life coach. They can get you started on the right footing and knock that resolution off your list once and for all.”
Want to assess your goal-setting expertise?