8 Attainable Tips to Reach your Goals in 2024.

We know by now that new year resolutions tend to slide away by mid-January. So how can we have a fresh start that has long-term sustainability?

1. List current achievements.

Reflect on the year that just passed. Going through completed accomplishments motivates us to complete more. Even if you didn’t reach all your goals, appreciate the fact that you’re farther ahead than where you were this time last year. For example, if your goal was to lose 10kg, ask yourself this: Did you move more? Learn a new exercise? Do you now have a healthier diet, one that gives you more energy? Or let’s say you wanted to write a book. Did you learn a bit more about the process? Did you produce more words than you did the previous year? Celebrating even minor wins motivates you towards success. If you’ve had a rough year just like many I know, you deserve
a pat on the back more than ever.

2. Aim for more action-oriented goals instead of outcome-oriented goals.

This will give you a better sense of control over them. For example, replace “I want to lose 6kg this year” with “I will work out four times a week” or “40% of my diet will be carb-free” etc. When I was writing my novel, I dedicated myself to writing one chapter a week. If you want to get good at make-up, commit to trying one new product combination every day.


3. Friends and peers can help with accountability.

Find people with goals of their own, perhaps similar to yours, to either do together or catch up on at the same time. If I didn’t have a writing group while I was writing my novel, I don’t know if I’d have finished it. Because of them, I knew I had to finish a chapter each week, even if I was sick, or not in the mood, or even when I felt that was I was writing was blah. There was no question. So ask someone who loves you if they can ask you every week, “Did you do [insert activity] for [insert time/s] this week/month?”

4. Divide your goals into categories.

Your goals can vary from cerebral to physical to emotional, and fall anywhere on the range of difficulty. When you find yourself forcing to do something, try putting it aside and doing something else instead. For example, if I’m feeling too uninspired to write a chapter, I’ll refer to my multi-level list and do something more hands-on instead. Such as work on my 1000-piece puzzle or clean out the pantry. On days where I really don’t feel like doing a big workout, I’ll pace around the apartment, compose a poem or practice chords on the piano. In this way, I still take satisfaction in knowing that I was productive, in one way or another.

5. Set your goals into monthly slots
   

That way there’s less pressure to start it all at once. Do it in bite-sized timelines. It also helps you figure out your priorities and tackle them according to sense of urgency.

6. Keep your weekly to-do somewhere visible.
   
   My best friend keeps his in the kitchen, on a wallpaper with a writable (and erasable) surface. I spray-painted a blackboard next to my desk. I used to have it taped on the fridge, or a wall I frequently pass by. Have fun with different colours of markers and chalks. Insert cute designs or emojis to brighten up your life. Make the process fun. And easy.
   

7. Allow yourself baby-steps.
   
   It’s okay to start small and work up to your goals slowly.
   

   Goal: To post videos on social media to promote my writing.
   Obstacle: I hate the camera.
   Solution: Instead of diving into a (likely messy) 30 minute YouTube video, and additionally stress myself out lighting, makeup and editing, I dipped my toe in the water: I video-journal on my phone every day. Last week it was one minute, this week it’s two and a half. In three months, will I be comfortable enough on camera to speak to the public? There’s one way to find out.
   
   I learned this trick because once a doctor suggested I exercise regularly to boost my morale. I told my therapist at the time, “But I hate running!”

   “How often will you run?”
   “Six days a week?”
   “Nope.”
   “Four days a week?”
   “Nope.”
   “Three?”
   “How about one?”
   “One?! Are you sure?”
   “Of course. Three days a week is a lot for someone who doesn’t like running.”
   
   Fast-forward three years later: I’m waiting for spring to arrive so I can run up the mountain, reaching the top as whatever song I’m listening to rises into climax, and keep running until I need to go back home. By the way, runner’s high is totally real, Guys. I didn’t believe it at first either. I thought it was just pretentious, healthy people trying to be annoying and better than everyone.

8. Don’t let procrastination discourage you.
   
   It’s not the end of the world if you are starting or finishing too late. Falling behind schedule is part of life, and moving along and catching up is a muscle. Remember, no one actually gives a shit. I meant to have this blogpost out latest last week of December, but it’s January and I’m still writing it - amongst other half-finished projects. I just picked myself up after a writer’s block and tackled the work that was calling out to me the most. There’s no point in being hard on myself. No one cares when I finish it. You’re still reading this after all. Do you care? I hope I’ve helped.