A Strategy to Make Good on Your Goal

Losing weight and working out are always near the top of the Most Popular Resolutions list. Resolutions to quit smoking, make more money, have a better relationships are always up there too. It seems year after year resolutions focus on the same themes of love and health and success – but that doesn’t make our outcomes any better. Research shows that 50 percent of us will abandon our goals by April.

Turns out we are good at setting goals but not so good at getting after them. But, you can change that right now with some simple strategies that will double your chances at achieving your greatest desires.

The Surest Route to Success

There are three integral steps to achieving a goal:

1. Pick a strong goal.The best goals, the ones that are both obtainable and satisfying to pursue, are those that in some way help us feel connected, competent and authentic. When we feel that our efforts tie us to others, align with our values, desires, skill set and talents, we are more likely to persist despite obstacles.

 2. Prepare for the obstacles. There are bound to be setbacks so plan for them. If your goal is to lose weight but you work in an office where someone is always leaving sweets or unhealthy snacks in the kitchen, develop a plan right now to deal with the temptation. Often we can identify the obstacles to our achievement ahead of time. With a plan in place, you’re more likely to stay the course.

 3. Establish an Implementation Intention. This is the missing link for many of us goal-minded people. We know what we want, we choose obtainable, meaningful,  challenging, make-a-difference goals, we anticipate the obstacles and develop a plan for coping, but we rarely set an intention for how to carry out all the steps.

Research by psychologist Peter Gollwitzer at New York University shows that when people do take that extra step and put an implementation intention in place, they are twice as likely to make good on their goals.

Through if/then statements, an implementation intention sets out an advance plan for how you are going to respond to set circumstances and move toward the goal.

For example you might set the intention this way: If I am hungry at 8 p.m. then I will eat a fruit snack. This way, when it’s time to eat at eight, you’ll know just what to do to support your goal of better health. This approach is key, say success researchers, to keeping us on track toward our resolutions.

Alrighty then, how can we set our own intentions? I’ll tell you in Wednesday’s post.