Key to Successful Goals 2011-New Year’s Resolution

Do you plan to make a New Year’s Resolution? If you do, please don’t fall into the trap that dooms most New Year’s Resolutions to failure within a few weeks. Why do so many fail?

Key to Successful Goals

I think too many New Year’s Resolutions are hasty, ill-considered, and mistakenly set out of guilt. Self-guilt at being overweight, eating poorly, lack of exercise, or continuing to smoke despite the pleas from loved ones to stop. But guilt isn’t generally a sufficient source of inspiration and commitment. And commitment is the key to making a significant life-change.

Lifestyle change is difficult. The habits typically characterizing ill-fated New Year’s Resolutions are often long-held bad habits—habits which satisfy needs. You don’t just abandon a habit without planning an alternative, healthier habit that will provide a replacement for the need the unhealthy habit provided.

Over the years I’ve come to realize that I tend to seek the comfort of food as a way of dealing with anxiety. Now I know that if I’m working to lose weight, I have to find a healthier alternative than food to provide the comfort I need.

New Year’s Resolution – Do it Right

My goal setting workbook, The Fundamentals of Successful Goal Setting will help you craft a goal that is likely to succeed. But if your goal involves a major lifestyle change, do yourself a favor and also pick up a copy of Changing for Good (Quill Publications, 1994).

As you can see, Changing for Good isn’t a new book, but it is the gold standard for change involving overcoming bad habits. The most successful programs for weight loss, smoking cessation, and alcohol/drug addiction rehab use the model for change described by Changing for Good’s author-psychologists.

The combination of The Fundamentals of Successful Goal Setting and Changing for Good will give you the best chance to successfully overcome self-defeating bad habits.