So, 2012 is here!
London Olympics, Queen's Diamond Jubilee, 366 leap year days, uncertainty in the global economy and instability in some key countries.
Lots going on this year but I wanted to talk about you, me, your friends, your family members, your Twitter 'mates', your colleagues, the lady down at the post office - the people around you and the things within your control.
None of us, alone, can change the climate, fix the economy, stop the wars, eliminate crime. What we can do is make small changes that will affect our lives and the people around us. Spending time and energy on matters that you can influence brings with it a renewed confidence, improved lifestyle, better relationships, success at work, etc.
It's time to focus on something, or things that you can get results from and achieve your own 'Gold Medal'. Those athletes training hard every day for years will soon be giving it their all in their bid for a medal at the Olympics. It's no suprise they are there because they have dedicated themselves to one thing and committed to doing what is necessary to succeed.
So, take some time to think about what matters most to you and make a shortlist of things you want to change or improve. Then reduce the list to no more than 5 things you want to focus on - there's no point having a list of dozens and dozens of things, you simply won't be able to focus on them all unless they are a tick list of achievable items for you to work through one by one.
For each change, set yourself goals. This is the important bit. When setting a goal - have the end result in mind and set shorter term goals to tick off along the way. For example, if you want to lose 3 stone - set yourself a realistic end goal (by 1st July for example). Then set intermediate goals of say, 6lbs lost in first month, 1 stone by end of February, 2 stone by 1st May, etc.
Remember those thermometer style charts outside churches for their roof repair fund? Do one for yourself to stick on the fridge door so you can fill it in each week and see how you are doing compared to your goals. Ideally you want to tick off the goals by the deadline you set. If you miss a deadline - adjust the remaining goals accordingly. No point falling behind and getting into a situation where it's not going to happen, you'll just get demoralised and lose conviction.
Enlist the support of people you trust. Family, friends, strangers with common goals, etc. Share your goals with these people and let them know how you are doing from time to time. The best supporters will ask you before you tell them. You'll find their support a great boost in terms of motivation yourself and sharing your success with them as you progress.
Reward yourself. Set some rewards for hitting your targets. If it's weight loss you are aiming for, don't set eating a whole chocolate fudge cake as a reward! Perhaps go out to watch a film, or go bowling, or share a nice dinner with one of your friends. If it's stopping smoking, don't reward yourself with a big fat Cuban cigar! Perhaps buy yourself a present, or better - buy a gift for someone else with some of the money you saved, or donate to charity.
These are just some tips for how to go about setting and achieving your goals. I hope it's been useful in terms of helping you to start making some decisions and improvements to your life. Whether it's to do with health, or how you treat other people, or achieving in sport or work, as long as it matters to you and you can do something about it, you can do it!
Here's some extra support for those looking to Lose Weight or Stop Smoking - I made these free websites for people to come together and help each other:
http://www.lose-weight-together.com
http://www.stop-smoking-together.com
So,whatever you decide to do this year, make it count!
All the best, and shout if you need support or motivation - @Graham_Lay
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