Why your New Years Resolutions will end in failure

New Years Resolution Fail

With another New Year upon us are you full of enthusiasm and good intentions for these next 12 months? The New Year is a naturally powerful time to pause and reflect on what you most desire in the coming 12 months. Sadly, a disheartening statistic quoted in the Journal of Clinical Psychology tells us that only 8% of people are successful at achieving their New Years Resolutions. If you’re among the 92% that do not achieve their resolutions you may be telling yourself that its because you’re not disciplined enough, not committed enough or not focused enough.

The real truth is that the New Years Resolution system is broken. New Years Resolutions come from the S.M.A.R.T goal methodology developed in 1981, and that methodology is out of date. The S.M.A.R.T acronym stands for setting goals that are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and time-bound and this approach has been the staple diet of business and management for the last 30 years. The reason you are failing in your New Years Resolution is that you are using out-dated technology.

I have spent the last few years researching and experimenting with an improved approach to goal setting that ensures my clients, and myself, maintain enthusiasm and momentum while pursuing highly ambitious outcomes. This month I’m thrilled to be launching my first workshop introducing the Intentional Goal Setting System.

The Intentional Goal Setting System flips the S.M.A.R.T goal setting system on its head. Instead of chasing a very 1980’s form of external material success, our new approach to setting goals, tracking progress and defining success is all about being satisfied while pursuing your deepest desires.

The Intentional Goal Setting System invites you to focus on the kind of person you desire to be. Then, instead of focusing exclusively on your end result, you track the tangible, measurable experiences that provide proof that you are being who you want to be. This approach builds a greater sense of satisfaction in day-to-day life and provides you with strong motivation to keep on moving forward.

If you’re ready to make 2015 your most satisfying and successful year yet, then I invite you to be among the first to join me for my Intentional Goal Setting Workshop debut on 10th January.

Whatever your desires for the New Year, may your year be profoundly satisfying and full of joy!

Image Credit: Creative Commons License Vincent_AF via Flickr

Five Strategies of Super Successful Clients

How to be successful

New clients often ask me how they can make sure they get the most out of the work we do together.  In this month’s blog post I share with you the top 5 strategies my most successful clients have employed to make the changes created in the consultation room a permanent part of their lives.

Make change a short-term priority

Life can get busy and hectic and get in the way if we let it.  Clients that are super successful at getting the results they want, make change a priority in the short term.  By creating non-negotiable space in their busy schedules they ensure they have the time to attend our consultations and practice the tools I give them.

Take responsibility for your results

As a professional I will give you the very best of my training, knowledge, care and attention but I am not going to be there with you for the other 23 hours in the day where you’re making decisions.  To create permanent change, you need to break through the barrier of inertia, and sometimes that means putting in conscious effort to get the ball rolling.

Do things differently

As the old adage goes “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got”.  Super successful clients follow up our consultations by taking consistent action and practicing new behaviours that support their goals.

Use the tools

I have spent the last decade of my life scouring the world for tools of transformation to share with my clients, but a hammer won’t drive a nail if you don’t pick it up and use it.  Clients that see the most rapid change are the ones that use the tools between sessions.

Focus on your victories

It’s easy to focus on our shortcomings, our failures, and our slip-ups.  Focusing on your victories, no matter how small at the beginning, will teach you to build that muscle of positivity and belief that change is possible.  With positive reinforcement, day-by-day that muscle will get stronger and soon you’ll be celebrating larger and larger victories.

By following these five strategies of super successful clients you’ll be setting yourself up to get the very most out of your investment, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of our work together for the rest of your life.

Image Credit: Angela Mabray via Flickr