Yes, like many of us, you had good intentions, but then the dog drank out of the toilet bowl, the snow came and then the kitchen clock needed a new battery. The next thing you know, it’s February and you have forgotten about your New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions are essentially goals, which Merriam Webster defines as, “the end toward which effort is directed.” With this in mind, apply the following paradigm to reignite the fire under your resolutions. Let us use as our example the most universal New Year’s resolution: to lose weight.

VALUE •••
What is the intrinsic worth behind your goal (other than your behind , literally !) Why does it mean so much to you? Value is key because when you are feeling unmotivated, you will have to tap into it to stay on track. The value in this example can be energy and motivation to power all your other goals. (To get those “drive all the boys crazy curves” is also a plausible value.)

MEASURE •••
How will you know when you have made it? Measure means having some quantifiable way of knowing you have arrived at the endpoint. For example, you will know you reached your goal when you have lost 15 pounds. Another way to measure can be to fit into your favorite dress again. Measuring your goals can also be tied to health stats such as blood pressure. You decide how you will measure based on what is important to you.

DUE DATE •••
Seeing as how setting goals won ’t mean a thing if you give yourself infinity , set a specific due date by when you want to accomplish your goal. For example, to lose 15 pounds by June 1.

ACTION! •••
This step separates the women from the girls. What steps are you going to incorporate into your daily life to achieve your goal? Once you set a goal, it has to be part of your routine until you achieve it. You cannot set a goal and then put it on a shelf until next January. Some actions steps for losing weight include: to go for a half hour walk three days a week, and take a homemade lunch to work four days a week.

PREPARE •••
The path to reaching your goal is never going to be smoothly paved. Know this from the beginning and, ironically, you are more likely to achieve your goal. Why? Because you can prepare for those bumps in the road. Expect that you will not feel like exercising all the time, you will be tempted by office treats, and your favorite ice-cream will be on sale every so often. You can prepare to deal with stumbling blocks by preparing your gym clothes (and coffee!) the night before, by having fruit or healthy snacks readily available at your desk, and indulging in your favorite ice-cream only when it is on sale.

EXCUSES •••
Yes, universal as breathing, making excuses is something we all do. This is why I opened this article with a list of excuses. Here is the twist, rather than making excuses later, make those excuses now and get them out of the way. If you are aware of what may potentially thwart you from reaching your goal, then you can proactively counteract your excuses.

What are your favorite excuses? Which ones do you use with work, friends and family, and with your goals? Here are a few common excuses with my smart mouth commentary: it’s too difficult (so was learning how to walk and look at you now!), I never tried it before (all the more reason to!), I don’t deserve it (you don’t deserve good health?), I’m too busy (is your last name Obama?), and I don’t have enough time (you would if you stopped whining!).

Now that you know how to map out your goals, here is an assignment for you. Jot down on paper the value, measure, due date, action steps, ways to prepare for road blocks and excuses for three of your resolutions by Feb. 13. If you would like a worksheet to assist you, either email me, or visit www.jillmagonline.com for a copy. Finally, a few words on motivation from Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, “You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be.” Onward and upward Jills!

ACCOMPLISHING MY GOALS •••
“By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be .”
- Mark Victor Hansen

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