Making new habits stick

Have you ever wondered why 95% of people who make New Year resolutions never follow through with them??  Are you part of the 95% or the 5%??  Well, I will be honest, I was always part of the 5% but I have learned a few things about setting goals and actually accomplishing them.  Of course, that doesn't mean that I accomplished everything that I set out to do in 2015??  NO, I did not.  But I did accomplish some of my goals that I made. As for the other ones, well, I had to sit down and really reflect on why I did not reach those goals.  They weren't unattainable goals and it wasn't that I gave up on them.  So, I ask myself, "What did I do last year that worked really well?  What did not work? and what do I need to do differently this year?"

"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently."
                                 -Henry Ford

Not following through on your goals and not attaining them are really separate issues.  If you worked towards your goals all year but just came short of reaching them then you followed through.  You just need to figure out what steps you need to take to make them work this time.

Not following through means that you failed to create or stick to a new habit.  The truth is that most people hate and avoid change.  Change is hard and we don't like hard.  We like easy.  Therefore when we set a goal and start to work towards it, we ultimately give up because it's too hard.  But the thing is, is that its only hard at first.  Once we create new habits and stick with them, it eventually becomes second nature to us.  It is said that it takes anywhere from 21-30 days to form a new habit.  So, if we decide that we want to start working out and give up after the first week because its too hard, there is no habit formed.  We then give up.  BUT, if you stuck with it, it would eventually become easier and after 30 days, would be a new healthy habit.  The hard part is only temporary!  Push through and do what's right instead of what's easy.  That is the only way to see results.

How do you stay focused and keep from wanting to give up?
Write down your goals, make them specific.
Write down your why.  Why are these goals important to you?
Write down the steps you need to take to reach those goals.  What habits do you need to create to get what you want.
Make the first thing that you do every morning, reading those goals, picture yourself reaching those goals.
Stick with a schedule.  If your goal is to workout everyday.  Try to do it at the same time every day.  Our bodies and minds like routine.

Most of these ideas I've shared with you are from my personal development that I've read over the past year that I have personally put into practice myself.  I am no expert but these things have worked for me and I continue to use them to work on my own personal goals.  I highly recommend you choose your own personal development to work on this year based on your goals.  This could be in the form of a book, audiobook, podcasts, seminars, etc.   What do you want to improve in the year 2016?