Written by: Michele Lee Occhipinti, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Did you know that 95% of New Year Resolutions are deserted by the 2nd week of January? Yes, you heard that right, the second week. Will this be you? Not with the right strategy.
Understanding what drives a person to assure they stay on target with their resolution. Understanding your values that will control your behavior. Your beliefs of who you are and what you tell yourself. If you believe you will not lose the weight, are unhealthy, lazy, unfit, well that is what you are focusing on, and it will control the outcome of your resolution. Instead, tell yourself a story that will empower you. What you tell yourself is what you will become. Your identity is a choice that you make every day. You can choose to be the person you are, or you can choose to be better. The decision is all up to you.
So, to be successful in first change your narrative. It can change your life. Resolve your resolution. Determine the goal. Then outline your strategy.
If you do not have a concrete goal, you cannot determine the strategy to meet the goal. When you determine the goal that is right for you, you then can determine the strategy to make it happen. Without a strategy it is unlikely the goal will be met the way you envisioned.
Working with so many individuals throughout the world I often hear new clients come into our first session with many goals to achieve some believing and coming into the session with excuses of why they cannot and will not achieve their goals based on past experiences. When I walk them through the right strategy, they instantly change their perspective and belief that it can be achieved. When a leader enters a meeting with doubt and brings that to their staff it is likely their staff is going be challenged in believing they can achieve the goal. Make the right strategy for you. My top regime for achieving outcomes in the goals you seek in the new year are:
Make the Intention
Decide on the Goal
Outline the Strategy
Determine the Outcome
Set a Deadline
Make it Happen
Don’t focus on why you cannot achieve it, instead focus on achieving it. Whatever it takes. Be resilient.
Simple rules to follow when seeking to establish the best resolution for you:
Don’t give up when it does not go exactly as planned. So you ate a twinkie the second week of January after you decided to loose 20 lbs by March. Well, ask yourself why you ate the twinkie. Dig deeper, was the twinkie really what you needed or were you filling a void for something else. Consider what you will do to get back on track to meet the deadline.
Remember you haven’t failed at anything until you stop trying and walk away so keep going.
With all the chaos in today’s world don’t let it take over you, who you are, as a leader, as an entrepreneur, as an individual, a mother, a father, son, daughter, spouse, or friend we all will face challenges in our life without it, we will be bored. Think about it if every day was just like Groundhog day where would that lead you. Instead, when something does not go as planned ask yourself what you will do even better tomorrow towards the goal to make it happen.
It’s all about the power of your self-narrative. The tale you tell yourself about you the narrative will make all the difference in your life. The good news is you can change your self-narrative at any moment.
Here are some great ways to get started so you can achieve your New Year’s resolutions successfully:
1. Change the self-narrative:
Build your narrative based on what the self-beliefs that will empower not disempower you to achieve the goal.
2. Write out the Goal. Determine the Strategy
Build credibility with yourself by achieving each of the small micro-goals within the goal that are meaningful towards your end goal. They’re the areas you obtain prior to achieving the goal. Each step you achieve is part of the goal so give yourself credit by writing them down in a journal each evening. When you are committing to go to the gym 5 days a week to loose 20 lbs well each day you achieve going to the gym write it down and take the time to feel good about the areas you achieve each day writing them in your journal. If you arrive to the gym one day and don’t feel up to completing the entire workout but you decided to stay pay attention to what it was that you did, thought or believed in yourself, the action you took to stay and make it happen. If you go and don’t feel like working out, then leave. Determine what you will do next time when the situation arises even better using what worked for you in the past.
3. Set Goals that are part of Your Greater Self vs New Year Resolutions
When determining a goal with a strategy you want to assure they are SMART Specific- Measurable- Attainable – Realistic and Time Defined. In the instance of losing weight, the thought of losing 10 or 20 pounds isn’t always exciting. But the thought of being in really good shape is and being more healthier being my best self is. Health is important to me, and I am constantly looking for healthier alternatives in life. Not that I am thin I have never been super thin even after running the Boston Marathon but when I am feeling good about myself it reflects on how I stand out as my authentic self in my personality, in my confidence in my ability to believe I can, I will, it must be done. Even when it appears impossible. Being resilient. Including the next level to achieve the success.
Remember when outlining the best strategy, it’s a marathon and not a sprint. What works best for one person may not work well for another. Be strategic to get through the finish line making it happen.
Believe in yourself this New Year and you will achieve your New Year’s goals. Outline the strategy that is best for you.
Looking for more ways to achieve the goals you set out for 2023 and outline the strategy that is right for you. Making it your best year. Connect with a peak performance strategist that understands what you need to succeed.
Be the best version of YOU!
Michele Lee Occhipinti, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Founder of Ack Professional, Michele Lee Occhipinti is a world class peak performance leadership & life strategist, on a mission to empower individuals to preserve their integrity, raise their performance to become the best version of themselves. Michele brings decades of experience alongside executives, some at the most prestigious of Fortune 500 companies. As one of the worlds top 1% worldwide.Following her integrity, from a place that inspired her, Nantucket, passionate to empower and transform the lives and leadership to maximize full potential for ultimate success in today’s world.
