It is that time of year again when you may be reflecting on how far you have come and where you want to venture next. While I personally am not the biggest fan of setting new year’s resolutions, I am happy to provide some pointers if you recognize this year did not go as planned. I am a big fan of following the steps that allow for more ease in reaching your desired outcomes.
The first step seems obvious and so many still fumble right at the start. It is essential to know the specific outcome that is wanted. Examples of how this goes wrong is starting with ideas of: I am going to stop eating junk food, I am going to stop drinking, I am going to do more, I am going to work out more, I am going to stop binge-watching shows on the couch, I am going to stop snacking, I going to eat better, I am going to be more productive. None of these are bad things to want for yourself and none of them are actually specific. If you are going to stop eating junk food, what foods will you be eating and when will you be eating them? If you are going to stop drinking or stop sitting on the couch, what activities will you be doing? It is important to have the actual picture of what you want for your actions clearly in mind.
The next part is addressed in creating specific goals and it is important enough to also be its own step. You want to state the outcome in positive terms. That is a statement about the action/behavior that is wanted rather than identifying what you no longer want. When we focus on just eliminating a behavior, there is a spot to then fill or the possibility of falling back to old habitual patterns remains strong. When there is a new desired action identified, it can be used in place of the old habit when it is cued. An example being I will use the treadmill when I watch tv to replace lounging on the couch with the tv on. I will have two servings of vegetables before I have one serving of carbs rather than I will have healthier eating habits.
It is also important to ensure your specific outcome is congruent and appropriate for you. An example being it would be inappropriate to have a specific outcome of eating less than 500 calories a day, (unless for some reason you were directed to by your doctor). An example of an outcome that you may be incongruent with is removing the tv or canceling streaming services when it is a favorite leisure activity. Usually, I see someone over-correcting an undesirable behavior to a degree where it will not be maintained.
That leads right into the next step, to ensure you can initiate and maintain the desired outcome. This means that it is entirely in your control to start the behavior and that you can continue the behavior on your own. If you are counting on a friend pass to go to the gym and need your friend to take you each time, this would limit your ability to initiate and maintain the behavior of going to the gym. If you have a desire for an improved diet and do not do the grocery shopping for the household, this could negatively impact your ability to be successful. Make sure you are in control of your own ability to achieve your desired outcome.
Finally, there is visualizing how the outcome looks on your timeline- another way to say this is to future pace your thinking. Take a moment and picture what your day/week will look like with the new behavior or action included in it. You want to create a clear instruction for your sub-conscious mind to use to help guide you in reaching your identified specific outcome.
To review, achieve your desired outcomes by:
Having a specific outcome
Stating your outcome in a positive tense
Assessing that it is congruent and appropriate for you
Ensure you can initiate and maintain the action
Visualize how the outcome looks in your timeline
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