You've probably heard the new phrase “make a great day” being thrown around a lot on popular talk shows like Oprah. It's a way of telling a person that the key to their day going well all depends on them. It's a hard theory, but a true one. What you think and do throughout one day determines how good or bad it will be. The same philosophy applies to a year. However, it requires a little more strategy.
Making a good year requires you to plan in advance what you want to accomplish and how. Maybe you want to quit smoking. Maybe you want to make more money. Or, maybe you just want more peace. Whatever it is, you need to start planning your strategy now, Below are a few steps to help you do it.
Jot Down Your Thoughts
Instead of writing down a list of goals, jot down your thoughts. Do it free form for three minutes. It should be whatever is on your mind right now. Afterwards, analyze it. What worries you? How can you resolve it? The answer should be the focus or goal for the year.
Take a Baby Step
One of the biggest reasons why most people never reach a goal is because they keep looking at the big picture. Don't look at the big picture, look at a corner of it or one spot. What do I mean? If you want to change careers, start by meeting with a job counselor first or doing research on what it really takes to make a change. Then, do one thing at a time until you reach your goal. In the process, give your self a reasonable amount of time to handle it all. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day.
Play It By Ear
When you cook a meal, you play around with it. A little salt. Pepper. Tomato. Onion. You work with the meal until it tastes delicious. It's the same with life. You have to adjust different areas of it until it tastes delicious to you. So as you work towards your goals, you'll need to adjust your technique and methods until the outcome is good.
Enlist the Help of Others
Have you ever heard the saying that no man is an island? This statement is true. In order to reach your goal, you'll need support. It's important to have a true friend or loving relative as a confidant and propeller. What do I mean? You need someone to talk to about your progress toward reaching your goal. You'll need the same person to remind you of what your goal is and that you can achieve it. So choose this person wisely.
Pat Yourself on the Back
As you make progress, reward yourself. Did you go a day without worrying for the first time in a long while? Go out to dinner and celebrate with friends. Did you lose a pound? Take a long bubble bath without the distraction of kids. Do something to let the world and yourself know that you are victorious in life and are happy with yourself.
