“Goals” versus “resolutions” may seem a lot like “tomato, tom-AH-to” to some people, but I think there’s a legitimate difference between the two. A lot of times, New Year’s resolutions sound like a list of don’ts for the upcoming months. And once you break them, you’re toast. Oh, and speaking of toast, remember that “no carbs” resolution? No toast for you.
Personally, I think making goals instead puts the focus on a more positive approach to the new year. Instead of saying everything you’re going to cut out, you get to dream (and dream big!) about what you would like the year to look like. I talked about it in this post, but research says people who write down their goals are 80 percent more likely to achieve them. So, last year, Austin and I had a date where we went to one of our favorite local shops, got cozy and dreamed big for 2017. It was so simple, but it might be my favorite date we’ve ever had. We both took our own journals, lined out a few things, and then collaborated on a list of goals together. We’re planning to do it again this year.
So, here’s the other thing: We didn’t hit every goal on our list last year. But honestly, that makes me even more excited to rethink our purposes and goals for 2018. Maybe we’ll bring some 2017 ones into 2018, or maybe we’ll reconsider whether those goals were the right ones for us. Making new intentions for the year should be things you want to do, not things you just feel like you should do.
If you want to make goals but don’t know where to start, here’s my 2 cents:
Personally, I think making goals instead puts the focus on a more positive approach to the new year. Instead of saying everything you’re going to cut out, you get to dream (and dream big!) about what you would like the year to look like. I talked about it in this post, but research says people who write down their goals are 80 percent more likely to achieve them. So, last year, Austin and I had a date where we went to one of our favorite local shops, got cozy and dreamed big for 2017. It was so simple, but it might be my favorite date we’ve ever had. We both took our own journals, lined out a few things, and then collaborated on a list of goals together. We’re planning to do it again this year.
So, here’s the other thing: We didn’t hit every goal on our list last year. But honestly, that makes me even more excited to rethink our purposes and goals for 2018. Maybe we’ll bring some 2017 ones into 2018, or maybe we’ll reconsider whether those goals were the right ones for us. Making new intentions for the year should be things you want to do, not things you just feel like you should do.
If you want to make goals but don’t know where to start, here’s my 2 cents:
- Think about the type of person you want to be, on the whole. Don’t just write down weight loss goals or career goals, consider how you can be a more intentional friend or family member.
- Consider what actions represent your aspirations. Instead of writing down “lose 20 pounds”, a better goal would be “cut out processed sugar”. It can be hard to figure out how to get from point A to point B without a clear roadmap.
- Give yourself grace. In my opinion, resolutions are strict and goals are all about grace. There’s that saying on a poster in 5th grade classrooms that says, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you fall, you’ll land among the stars”, and while it’s cheesy, I think there’s some amount of truth to it.
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