New Year’s Resolutions are meant to be encouraging. They are motivators to change or improve upon something in your life. With all of the glitz and glam of the New Year, holding so much promise and opportunity, we make resolutions that we (at the time) are determined to keep. However, the overall excitement that surrounds resolutions often times decreases somewhere near March, and completely disappears by July. Whether your goal is to register and run for the 2016 New York Marathon, or finally start that small business that you’ve been dreaming up, here are five things to keep in mind at the starting line.
Remember: it is a marathon, not a sprint.
Your resolutions, whether they are made at the beginning of the year or mid-June, will take time. Results will not be immediate and for many this can become disheartening. In order to stay encouraged, break down your overall goal into mini mile-markers. From there, take it one step at a time. The more markers that you pass in your journey to your overall goal, and the more change that you can see little by little, the more successful you will feel.
Plan ahead and plan for success.
You cannot decide to run 26.2 miles without the proper training first. Preparation is key and that goes for more than just marathons. If you’ve decided that you’d like to save more money this year, how are you going to go about doing it? How much do you wish to save? Are you saving for anything in particular? Whatever you decide to change or grow upon during 2016, make sure you have thoroughly researched ways to be successful, and get comfortable with that plan.
Prepare for slip-ups.
Throughout the year, you will stumble and fall a few times. Why? Because you are human. Still, these setbacks should not be enough for you to stop altogether. Acknowledge your slip ups, figuring out how to avoid them in the future, and keep moving.
Shamelessly seek help.
There is no shame in seeking out help when you are trying to accomplish a goal. If you are trying to eat healthier during the year, consider having an accountability partner that can help. Or, if you are trying to grow your business, taking on a Florida Capital Advisor to offer advice can open you up to opportunities that you may have missed on your own. Not many resolutions can be (happily) accomplished alone.
Change what you want to change.
Do you not want to run a marathon this year? Then don’t! Resolutions are meant to be specific to the things that motivate you in your personal and/or professional life. While there are the common resolutions that people commit to each year, make sure yours matters to you.
Remember these five tips when you are going and growing throughout the year. Staying focused and encouraged will push you to cross your personal finish line, allow you to revel in your accomplishments, and want to do it all over again next year.
Good luck!