If you’ve ever made (and then abandoned) a New Year’s resolution, you are not alone. Typically, 25% of people who make New Year’s resolutions drop them after one week. That number keeps rising until June when about 96% of people who made a resolution have officially abandoned their efforts.
That failure rate is why experts say you should set annual goals rather than New Year’s resolutions. Goals are a way of keeping you on track and they are one of the most important habits of successful people. If you want to stick with your goals past January, here are four tips for success.
One: Include a Plan With Each Goal
One of the biggest reasons why people fail to achieve goals is that they state the goal and then try to achieve it without any type of plan. Setting an action plan and breaking that plan into monthly or even weekly tasks and to-dos will help you stay the course.
Two: Track Your Progress
A great way to keep momentum is to formally track your progress in writing. Keep a list of your goals, your plans and your milestones. Track activities that move you towards goal achievement and celebrate each time you reach a milestone. Tracking and rewarding yourself will keep you motivated to continue pushing yourself forward.
Three: Book Time To Work On Your Goals
Can you block off 30 minutes a day to work on your goals? One hour per week? Determine how much time you need to spend to get towards the finish line and then block off that time in your calendar. Make that time non-negotiable. Don’t blow it off to go to happy hour or watch Netflix. After about a month of sticking to your booked time, it will become a habit.
Four: Get An Accountability Buddy
It can be difficult to stick to your goals when you are doing it alone. Partner with someone who has also set goals for 2020 and hold each other accountable. Getting an accountability partner helps you stay on track because it means you have to share your progress out loud with another human being. While that can sound scary, it’s actually quite motivating to have someone walking with you on a similar journey. And your accountability partner can also be your biggest cheerleader, encouraging you and being excited for you when you hit your milestones.
Is Your Goal to Get A New Engineering Job?
If one of your goals is to get a new engineering job this year, the recruiters at Selectek can help. Browse our current engineering job openings to apply online or contact us today to learn more.
