LIFE IN BALANCE-New Year Resolutions or Realistic Goal Setting?

There is nothing magical, spiritually significant, or special about the first day of January except the significance that we ourselves attach to it. I like to remind myself that the Gregorian calendar is man made and was a reform of a previous calendar( the Julian calendar) which was itself a reform of the Roman calendar . There are also in use many different calendars( the lunar calendar, Igbo calendar, Hebrew calendar, the Chinese calendar etc) in use, side by side with the Gregorian. The point I am making is that you do not have to “make new year resolutions” ; you do not have to fall into despair at the end of the year; and you do not have to wait until the first of January to make the changes that you need to make in life.

The first of January is however, a convenient time to set goals, and , the span of a year is a good time to review those goals you set( depending on what those goals are).
Here are a few tips for setting goals and seeing them come to pass:

1. Set goals: This may seem obvious but you have to actually set goals for what you want to accomplish. What does it meant to set goals? This is not mere wishing. For instance saying, “I wish I could lose some weight” is not a goal. It is just that, a wish. At the end of the year, if you do not lose the weight because you never set a goal to do so, don’t be surprised. There are long term goals, eg “I want to sell 10,000 copies of my book by June”. There are short term goals eg “By next week I want to have cleaned out my garage”.

2. Set realistic goals: Only you can know what is realistic to you. For instance, a goal to save 100,000 by the end of the year may be realistic to someone who is a millionaire but not a struggling student. Goals that are too extreme set you up for failure and disappointment. It is better to “underwhelm” 🙂 yourself than overwhelm yourself.

3. Be specific: “I wanna to lose some weight” is different from “I am going to lose 10 lbs in the next 6 months.” Do not be vague. A specific goal is measurable while a nonspecific one is reduced to the level of a mere wish.

4. Make plans to achieve your goals: If you want to lose 10 pounds, join a gym, eat more healthy foods. If you want to change careers you may need to go back to school. If you want a better relationship with God you will need to spend more time in prayer and the Word. If you want to write a book you will need to pick up a pen( or laptop or iPad) and start writing……make a plan

5. Write it down: Written words definitely have more power than when they are just thoughts in your head. Write your goals and look at them everyday. It will keep you on track.

Well, Happy New Year everyone. Be blessed