If you frequently set goals but don’t follow through, you’re in good company. Principles that are central to cognitive behavioral therapy, including these 15 strategies, can help you stay on track.
1. Understand what’s most important to you. Think about the times you felt most alive; research indicates that having a clear sense of why you’re pursuing your goals greatly increases your chances of achieving them.
2. Pick goals that are consistent with your values. After you determine the values that give your life meaning, pick a few goals for each value. For instance, if being creative is important, sign up for classes in your discipline, set aside time to practice your craft each day, and get involved in a group of your peers.
3. Try not to be rigid about your goals. If you decided to get up early every morning to exercise but you find yourself fatigued or have given up a few times, try shifting to a workout later in the day. Being flexible has been shown to be a key to success
4. Monitor your progress. A recent study showed that the more often you log your behaviors, the more likely you will be to succeed.
5. Slow and steady is the key. You might decide to start with just one goal and plan small steps that you could start today. Biting off too much in the beginning often leads to fatigue and an excuse to stop.
6. Stay rested. Many studies have shown that our willpower decreases when we haven’t slept well or slept enough.
7. Pick a goal that’s intrinsically rewarding. For example, if your goal is to lose weight and you enjoy nature, hiking might be the best activity for you. You’re unlikely to stick with an exercise plan at a windowless gym.
8. Offer yourself small rewards. If you’re not really into running, but that show you’d love to binge is now available, point your treadmill at the screen and watch while you work out.
9. Engage in gratitude. Research shows that expressing gratitude for even the small things in our lives – possibly even for the progress we’re making toward our goals – provides the positive feelings that help us persevere.
10. It’s not all or nothing. Nobody’s perfect, and trying to be flawless can cause us to be discouraged and give up altogether. It’s OK to sleep in one day instead of getting up to exercise. Give yourself a break, but after you’re done resting, it’s time to get back to work.
11. Take it easy on yourself if you do fail. It might be tempting to try to whip yourself into shape after you have a setback, but being kind to yourself has been shown to be a better way to achieve success.
12. Reduce temptation. Those who succeed with self-control usually are good at setting their environment to help themselves make better decisions. Toss the ice cream, pack a healthy lunch the night before work, have part of your pay automatically directed to savings.
13. Find strength in numbers. People tend to stick to their goals if they have friends spurring them on.
14. Have someone to look up to. Research shows that surrounding yourself with those who live the way you’d like to live can help provide the mentorship and inspiration you need.
15. Be a teacher. Helping someone else achieve their goals often helps you stay on track with your own.
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