Don't set goals this year.
In my experience setting goals feels good at the time, and whether they are written down or not eventually start gathering dust and just get pushed to one side. Forgotten.
The problem isn't in the goal setting itself.
The problem is the
''I WISH'' language and the dopamine 'later' motivated future.
The problem lies in NOT DOING the serotonin 'now' things that are required to meet set goal.
Whether your goal is in health and fitness, career or family and relationships, if you focus on the goal you will not achieve it.
So what to do?
1. Learn these off by heart:
If you focus on the result, nothing will change. If you focus on the change, results will come.
Focus on the change - the daily practices - the CHANGE you need to make.
2. Decide WHAT you want to achieve.
Get your goal on paper, get excited and ask WHY you want to achieve this. Sharing your goal works for some but not for others.
3. Decide WHO you want to be.
Who do you NEED to be in order to achieve said goal. What are your values? WHO is your future self?
4. Act AS IF.
Once you know WHO you need to be, act as if you are that person. Here's why:
MOST people become the product of their feelings. You can CHOOSE
to act ''As If'' and become the product of your actions. Often we experience:
REACT to uncomfortable thoughts or feeling 
Action away from values (unsupportive) behaviour Become (identity) powerless, frustrated, unhappy and unfulfulled. Thoughts and feelings repeat.
BUT have a choice to:
ACT 'AS IF' you are already the person you want to be Action towards values (supportive) behaviour builds trust and confidence in self Become (identity) empowered, inspired, fulfilled, sense of identity and happy. Thoughts and feelings repeat.
5. REMOVE conflict.
Have you ever made a positive change in your life only to revert back to old habits? Common examples within health and fitness go something like this: 
Start a new diet - get initial success - revert back to old habits - regain lost weight.Join a gym - exercise and get in shape - revert back to old habits - lose fitness.
Perhaps you've observe this in any aspect of your life - not just nutrition and exercise - and while it’s frustrating you can rest assured that you’re not alone.
So why do we tend to get stuck in these loops of short term change?
Take a look at the levels of change below. If you notice conflict between levels you can make the appropriate change.
PURPOSE What am I here for? What am I part of that is greater than myself?
IDENTITY Who am I?
VALUES and Beliefs What is important to me?
CAPABILITIES What do I know how to do? What skills do I have?
BEHAVIOUR What am I doing?
ENVIRONMENT Where do I spend my time? Social and physical environment.
If you are experiencing problems sticking to good nutrition habits for example (behaviour), you need to identify any conflict and make changes a level or two above where the symptoms show up (capabilities, values, identity). For permanent change each logical level should support the one above it.
6. BREAK YOUR GOAL DOWN into skills you need to develop in order to achieve it.
Then break each SKILL into DAILY PRACTICES you need to PRACTICE in order to develop the skill.
Pick the easiest daily practice that will give you the biggest return.
Scale the chosen practice (habit) back until you are 10/10 confident you can do it for a week.
Practice your chosen habit and track it with a YES or NO daily.
Make outcome based decisions as you progress, and once the habit becomes automatic, add the next most important practice to work on.
Here is an example of GOAL SKILL PRACTICE
SKILL DOMAIN: Nutrition
GOAL - Lose 10kg
SKILL: Eat well intuitively
PRACTICE: Eat slowly and mindfully
• Use a meal time
• Take a breath and a sip of water between bites
• Eat dinner without any distractions
• Be the last person at the table to finish eating
SKILL DOMAIN: Change
GOAL: Reduce stress
SKILL: Emotional regulation
PRACTICE: Notice and name
• Notice where your thoughts & feelings are right now
• Direct those thoughts to the current moment
• Name those thoughts & feelings accurately
Don't set goals this year.
In my experience setting goals feels good at the time, and whether they are written down or not, eventually start gathering dust and just get pushed to one side. Forgotten.
The problem isn't in the goal setting itself.
The problem is the''I WISH'' language and the dopamine 'later' motivated future.
The problem lies in NOT DOING the serotonin 'now' things that are required to meet set goal.
Whether your goal is in health and fitness, career, or family and relationships, if you only focus on the goal you will not achieve it.
So what to do?
1. Learn these off by heart: If you focus on the result, nothing will change. If you focus on the change, results will come.
Focus on the change - the daily practices - the CHANGE you need to make.
2. Decide WHAT you want to achieve.
Get your goal on paper, get excited and ask WHY you want to achieve this. Sharing your goal works for some but not for others.
3. Decide WHO you want to be.
Who do you NEED to be in order to achieve said goal. What are your values? WHO is your future self?
4. Act ''AS IF''.
Once you know WHO you need to be, act as if you are that person. Here's why:
MOST people become the product of their feelings. You can CHOOSE
to act ''As If'' and become the product of your actions. Often we experience: REACT to uncomfortable thoughts or feeling Action away from values (unsupportive) behaviour Become (identity) powerless, frustrated, unhappy and unfulfulled. Thoughts and feelings repeat.
BUT have a choice to:ACT 'AS IF' you are already the person you want to be Action towards values (supportive) behaviour builds trust and confidence in self Become (identity) empowered, inspired, fulfilled, sense of identity and happy. Thoughts and feelings repeat.
5. DO THE THINGS you need to do
a) Break the GOAL into SKILLS needed to achieve the goal.
b) Break each SKILL into PRACTICES to develop the skill.
c) DO the PRACTICES daily.
Here's how:
Pick the EASIEST daily practice that will give you the BIGGEST return.
Scale the chosen practice (habit) back until you are 10/10 confident you can do it for a week.
PRACTICE your chosen habit and track it with a YES or NO daily.
Make outcome based decisions as you progress, and once the habit becomes automatic, add the next most important practice to work on.
Here is an example of GOAL SKILL PRACTICE
SKILL DOMAIN: Nutrition
GOAL - Lose 10kg
SKILL: Eat well intuitively
PRACTICE: Eat slowly and mindfully
• Use a meal timer
• Take a breath and a sip of water between bites
• Eat dinner without any distractions
SKILL DOMAIN: Change
GOAL: Reduce stress
SKILL: Emotional regulation
PRACTICE: Notice and name
• Notice where your thoughts & feelings are right now
• Direct those thoughts to the current moment
• Name those thoughts & feelings accurately
What next?
Put this into action in my 7 Day FREE Lean Habits Challenge.
Let me know if if you want to join 
#goals #change