A Little Note on Goals for 2024 by Coach Rosie
Who doesn’t like setting new goals? They are fun and often spark excitement. They give you direction and, more importantly, a hell of a lot of motivation to get started!
So why do so many goals go unfulfilled? How can we achieve the goals we really, really want without losing momentum? Here’s my two cents…
1. Understand your “Why”
Understand why the goal is important to you. Knowing what you are really signing up for is crucial. If it’s a real, intrinsic goal, take the time to think about it. While fleeting, short-lived goals need less consideration, long-term goals like losing weight or feeling happier require deeper introspection. If it is to be a lasting change for the better you must create daily actions that feel good.
Knowing the “why” gives us direction and purpose on a deeper level. For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, it might be because you want to feel more confident in yourself. Confidence leads to assertiveness, which in turn allows you to feel more in control and able to shape your life for the better.
2. What Kind of Person Do You Want to Be?
There’s something deeply nourishing, exciting, and rewarding about living as the person you want to be in every action you choose. Life becomes easier when, instead of depriving or restricting yourself, you align with actions that make you more of who you want to be.
Seek out inspiration! Are there people doing things you want to be? Jealousy, in my opinion gets a bad rap. Jealousy is only negative if acted upon.. I see it as a super helpful emotion. We can use it to determine what we want out of life.
3. Process Goals
If you want to make significant changes, it will require small, consistent behaviours or in this case, processes. The aim is always to stay focused on what you can control — changing daily behaviour — rather than worrying about future outcomes.
Don’t take on too much. Choosing smaller process goals can make you feel successful leading to more motivation. Go too big and as a result struggle to stick to a goal will likely leave you feeling like a failure, more likely to give up.
Example:
Goal: I want to lose weight this year.
Reframe: I want to be someone…
- Who takes time to cook and prepare my food.
Process Goal: Cook three meals at home during the week. Look ahead every evening to prepare for the next day. - Who takes care of my body, is grateful for being healthy and well.
Process Goal: Choose to exercise three times per week. Take regular walks outside. - Who makes loving, nourishing choices as often as possible.
Process Goal: Work on eating slowly and sitting at the table. Create a nourishment menu of activities to support emotional stress. - Who makes highly nutrient-dense choices often.
Process Goal: Shopping for quality foods. Viewing ALL food on a continuum, making better choices and losing the all-or-nothing mindset. - Who has a good relationship with food.
Process Goal: Eating out with friends and enjoying indulgent food without guilt. Being considerate with choices, aware of how different foods make you feel.
Setting and achieving goals isn’t just about the destination; it’s about becoming the person you want to be through consistent, intentional actions. Here’s to a year of growth, progress, and becoming!