02 Jan 4 proven strategies for achieving your goals
If you’re aiming to enjoy more happiness this year by achieving more of your goals then…good for you.
If you’re aiming to achieve more goals by setting New Years resolutions and then just hoping well…there might be a better way!
Happiness can come from accomplishment and achievement so setting goals is a great path to satisfaction but…you have to do it the right way.
And psychological research has shown, over the years, that these 4 ways are the right ways…
via Psychology Today by Erlanger Turner
The New Year is around the corner and many of us are thinking about our goals for 2017. Whether your goals are to improve your overall health, starting a business, or improving your parenting behaviors, the first step in behavior change is establishing a clearly defined goal and plan. Every year people start fresh with the hopes to be successful with accomplishing their goals. However, life style changes often require more than a simple plan.
A study published in the journal, Psychological Bulletin, breaks down traits that distinguish those who are successful at attaining their goals versus those who are not (Harkin, Webb, Chang, Prestwich et al., 2016). According to Harkin and his collaborators, people are more successful at goal attainment when they actively and publically monitor progress towards a goal. Although the study focused specifically on behaviors such as smoking, weight loss, and changing diet, the principles can be applied to other goals you desire to address. The bottom line is that if you want to change your behavior to meet your goals, you must first write down your goal and frequently monitor your progress. Below are some suggested tips from the American Psychological Association to help you work towards meeting your personal goal. (http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/resolution.aspx)
1. Start small: When setting a goal and developing a plan, identify a goal that you can keep. For example, if you aim is to exercise more frequently you should schedule three or four days a week at the gym instead of seven. If you would like to eat healthier, try replacing dessert with something else you enjoy, like fruit or yogurt, instead of seeing your diet as a form of punishment…
…keep reading the full & original article HERE