It's February...how are your New Year's goals / resolutions going? Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. A separate study in 2007 by Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol showed that 78% of those who set New Year resolutions fail, and those who succeed have 5 traits in common. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, (a system where small measurable goals are being set; such as, a pound a week, instead of saying “lose weight”), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.

All tasks are not accomplished on the first attempt. A key point is to avoid procrastination. BEGIN any overwhelming task right away by following these five steps:

B = Break it down: Any overwhelming project can be broken down into it’s component tasks or small, achievable goals.

E = Energize yourself: Is your outlook a negative one? Shift your attitude and change your self talk.

G = Go for “low hanging fruit” first: Establish momentum; start small and fast by doing whatever tasks you can do easily and quickly.

I = Involve others: Could you use some help? Would the advice and input of others help you get to the goal? Ask them to join you. Don’t go it alone.

N = Nibble. Now. Next: Keep on nibbling via “The Swiss Cheese Method.” Adopt a “Do it now” proactive stance. And keep asking yourself “What step can I take next to keep moving on this?”

If you are enrolled in OCKicks or OCKickFit consider Involving your instructors in your goals. With literally years of training under their belts they provide the perspective of having achieved long term goals and positive changes in their own lives that may be of some use to you too.