This got me thinking about regular goal setting; the kind that personal trainers and fitness professionals make at any time of the year and if the statistics are any more positive.
An hour of research later and found it tough to source any hard stats on regular goals, so I can only assume, based on talking to people and my own experiences that the figures would probably be quite similar.
So is there a difference between a new years resolution and a goal or are they the same thing?
The most obvious difference would have to be the timing and while the start of a new year is a great time to make goals, most people are too busy looking in the mirror or their demolished bank accounts to make any real decisions - and the most common NYR's reflect that.
- Lose Weight
- Save Money
- Pay/Reduce Debt
- Be Somewhere More Exciting Next New Years Eve
The above list using goal setting techniques would look more like:
- Lose Weight - Start regular exercise and stop eating so much rubbish
- Save Money/Pay Debt - Create a realistic budget and save 10% of weekly income
- Better New Year - Research and book NYE celebration vacation by March
A new years resolution is a normal responsibility that people procrastinate. A goal on the other hand, is a life altering decision be it personal or professional.
"A goal without a plan is just a wish" - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
To make a new years resolution succeed, the same principles used for goal setting should be a applied and no one is better to recommend a great strategy than one of my favorite authors/speakers, Zig Ziglar.
Ziglar's formula to effective goal setting is as follows:
- Write Down The Goal
- Put A Date On It
- List The Obstacles That You Need To Overcome
- Identify The People That Can Help You
- Set A Plan Of Action
- Identify The Benefits To You
If you have never heard of Zig; here's a cool video of the man talking about goals:
A few weeks ago I wrote down a bunch of new years resolutions and goals, but applied the above formula to both and I'm looking forward to seeing how things pan out for 2011.
Do you think there is a difference between a new years resolution and a goal? Do you use a specific formula to make your goals reality?
I'd be very interested to read your opinions on this so please leave a comment below. And as always, if you enjoyed this article, please share on facebook and twitter by clicking the icons at the top of the article!
Happy 2011!
Ben
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NYRs are always vague with no set end point.
ReplyDeleteLose weight? How much? What for? Save money? How much? What for?
How do I know when I've lost enough weight or saved enough money?
etc
Goals are more specific, like "lose enough weight to fit into my old jeans," or "save enough money to fly to Fiji."
"Identify the people who can help you" is an interesting one. It's not just a PT for fitness or an accountant for saving money or whatever, but all your friends and relatives. In Never Let Go Dan John mentions that one way to help yourself towards your goals is to tell EVERYONE about them. If you're going to quit smoking, tell everyone - "and if I'm heading out for a smoke, stop me!" So everyone starts supporting and nagging you.
Another way you can do it is to make failure not an option, by saying, "if I fail, I will do this unpleasant and/or humiliating thing." For example, "I will lose 10kg by June, if I do not, I will eat this 1kg can of dog food in front of everyone on June 1st." You'll be losing that weight!
Hey Kyle...thanks for the comment mate.
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of that book, thanks for the heads up, I'll have to check it out!