This is about the time when those who made New Year’s resolutions start to falter. Particularly if your game plan isn’t solid, without barrier busting strategies and back up plans, you might be thinking about dumping your resolution. Instead of quitting, revise your strategy to reboot your momentum. Here are some tips for jump starting your 2016 goal.

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  • Re-think the original goal. Was your goal too ambitious? Is it taking longer than you thought it would to accomplish? Perhaps you didn’t write down your plan? Sometimes all you need is to revise your plans, but if you haven’t written down the goal, doing so can help you achieve it. If a revision is in order, think about what hasn’t been working. Set a new weight loss goal or make your goal to exercise more specific and achievable.
  • Think about your goal in the present tense. If you’ve read The Secret, you know that part of getting what you want is about putting it out in the universe. Want a new job in 2016? Think about it in the context of something you already have. Your mantra might be “I have a fulfilling new job”.
  • Enlist support! Having trouble making it to yoga every week? Find a friend who will attend with you. Get support from co-workers and family members to support your goal. You can have the best intention to go to class, but if someone in your life is intentionally or unintentionally undermining that goal, it will be very difficult to maintain the behavior.
  • Resist the urge to return to familiar habits. Making a change is hard. If you aren’t immediately successful, keep trying the new habit. Conventional wisdom says that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. Re-commit yourself to 21 days of attention to your goal.

Sometimes our biggest barrier to achieving what we want is…ourselves. By focusing on your goal, committing to the difficult process of behavior change, and understanding and coping with failure, you can overcome the barriers that have prevented you from achieving your goal.