So, it is officially 2015! You have a clean slate, a fresh start, and a new beginning. It’s no surprise that this is the time of year we all consider the things we would like to see changed. Sadly, chances are none of them will, unless you follow these steps!

1. Set Specific Goals

Have you ever wondered why so many new years resolutions fail? It’s almost like a curse! We’ve all heard them: “I want to make more money.” Or, “I want to lose weight.” Maybe, “I want to get in shape.” Notice a trend? These are really healthy desires, and should be pursued. The only problem is, these are not goals. These are simply desires. A goal is specific, measurable, and on a deadline. Some better examples would sound like this: “I want to make $40,000 by December 31.” Or, “I want to lose 30 pounds by August 1.” Or, “I want to run a half-marathon by December 15.”

2. Determine What’s At Stake

The next step is to connect to what Michael Hyatt calls your “Why.” Why do you need to make more money? Why do you need to get in better shape? These questions are important because if you haven’t connected a strong enough reason, you’ll just quit when it gets tough. A good example might be that you want to get in better shape to keep up with your kids. Or maybe you want to live long enough to see your grandchildren. Whatever it may be, you need to connect to it because when it gets hard, that will be the only thing that keeps you going.

3. Determine Your Schedule

Once your goal is specific and you’ve connected to your why, it is time to set the progress schedule. How much progress do you need to make each month, or even each week, to accomplish your goal on time? If your goal is to make $40,000 by December 31, 2015, then you need to make about $3,300 each month. If you hope to run a half marathon by December 15, you should be able to run about 6.5 miles by June 15. If your goal is to lose 30 pounds by August 1, then you should be shedding about 4 pounds a month. One of the coolest experiences is to have a goal and be ahead of schedule. Even better, when you start to fall behind you can determine what needs to happen to get back on schedule.

Achieving your goals for 2015 is totally possible! Connect with your why, set a specific goal with a deadline, and get at it!

Question: What specific goals will you be setting this year? How do you plan to get there? Even better, check back in and let me know how you’re progressing!