When Setting New Year’s Resolutions: Remember your WHY

By now you have probably already made your New Year’s resolutions. Most of us focus on what we want to start doing or what we want to stop doing. We may even do well by creating a schedule or new system in order to achieve this new goal.

However, most of us omit getting clear on why we want to start or stop a habit, behavior, or action. Studies show that getting clarity on why you are doing this can increase your chances of achieving your goal. By identifying your WHY, you tie the emotion or passion to the goal or outcome. Identifying your WHY can increase your motivation, dedication, and commitment. Each time you need motivation to stick with it, you recall your WHY.

Using Your WHY To Set Your Target

Let’s use the common goal of weight loss. Most often people set it in a vague way. For example, “I want to lose weight.” They may even determine how much weight they want to lose and by when “I want to lose 15 pounds in 3 months.” However, this does not set the tone or the passion for the goal.

Identifying The WHY

This is the step you need to include in order to increase your chances of achieving your goal. Identify your WHY for each of those below, you can identify more than one. As a matter of fact, there is more power with the more you identify.

WHY do you want to lose weight? For example, “I’m several pounds heavier than I was this time last year” or “I’m worried about my health” or “Every year my weight increases by ____ amount.”

WHY is losing weight important? For example, “I want to fit in some of my favorite clothes” or “I will feel more confident about my appearance” or “Losing weight will increase my energy.”

WHAT is it COSTING you? WHAT is the PRICE you’re paying for not accomplishing? For example, “It’s causing high blood pressure” or “Having to purchase new clothes is cutting into my budget.”

WHAT is the payoff or reward for achieving this goal? For example, “I will have better energy so I can spend more quality with my spouse, children, and friends” or “I will have greater energy and enjoy more time on my hobbies” or “I will have greater confidence about my appearance” or “I will live longer” or “I can enjoy my grandchildren longer.”

Not only is it important to identify the payoff for you, it is important to identify who else will benefit from your achievement(s). For example, “Better quality time with my wife”, “My children and grandchildren will have better quality time with me” or “I will have greater energy to spend helping others and/or volunteering.”

So, when setting your goals be sure to:

1. Write down your goal(s).
2. Write down the timeline and system (the schedule and how).
3. Write down the cost of not doing so.
4. Write down the payoff for achieving the goal(s).
5. Write down the “who for.”
6. Share all of these items with someone else. Having an accountability partner also increases your success rate.

For those that haven’t set your New Year’s resolution(s), sitting down and thinking through WHO you want to have a positive effect on can help you to come up with some good goals or resolutions.

For more articles and information on personal and professional development, go to https://www.legacyconsultinginstitute.com/blog/

Michele Burch Reid, MS
Principal, Legacy Consulting Institute
Organizational & Personal Effectiveness Consulting

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