The Biggest Mistake People Make When Setting Goals (and What to Do Instead)

By Jeff Olson

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The New Year is the perfect time to re-evaluate your daily practices and make real, lasting change. If you’re already grumbling about how badly last year’s resolutions turned out, then you’re not alone. I’ve discovered that most people bounce between failure and survival. They may strive for success, but they invariably turn back and head downward. People repeat this pattern with their finances, health, relationships, and in their lives as a whole. How do we break this cycle?

Over time I’ve realized that a set of habits called “simple daily disciplines” can help us achieve all kinds of success. Already, we each make little decisions daily that may seem insignificant. But if we make small positive choices and take small positive actions each and every day, the results compound over time and lead us to success and happiness.

The Right Way to Set Resolutions

When I talk about “success” in the coming year, I’m talking about joy, love, fulfillment, enthusiasm, improved health, great relationships, financial security, and professional accomplishment. However don’t get overwhelmed by trying to change too much at one time. That’s a mistake most people make when thinking about goals, whether in the form of New Year’s resolutions or business milestones.

You can’t eat the whole apple in one bite. Keep it simple. Start by writing down a goal in just one area—perhaps your health or your business growth. For the goal to come true, you must make it specific and give it a deadline. The next step is deciding on a set of daily disciplines that will help you achieve that objective. By applying these small actions every day, you’ll see success like you never have before.

What Successful People Do Every Day

The truth is, what you do today matters. What you do every day matters. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking one brownie won’t hurt your weight-loss goal or a day without social media engagement won’t affect your site traffic. Successful people do the small things that seem to make no difference in the act of doing them. And they make the choice to keep doing them over and over and over. Because one brownie today, one ice cream cone tomorrow, and one chocolate bar on Friday all add up to significant deviation from your nutritional plan at the end of the week.

If I could get you to make one change, it would be this vital shift in perspective: Your little choices add up to big results.

Do one simple discipline each day that brings you closer to your New Year’s goal, and make a habit of doing some sort of daily review of these activities, either through a journal, list, …read more

Source:: Greatist