OH! Magazine - Australian Version January 2015 (Australian Version) | Page 15

SAY ‘NO’ TO
NEW YEARS’ RESOLUTIONS

NARDIA
NORMAN

http://nardianorman.com

(Women’s Health)

Nardia Norman recommends reflection before resolution, for success in 2015.
ow many times have you vowed,
after a food-laden, alcohol-fuelled
break that ‘this year will be different!’?
That ‘this year I really will lose weight
and improve my health’?

H

Here’s the thing: new year’s resolutions
are the most overrated type of goals you
can ever set for yourself. They simply do
not work, and I’m here to suggest you
save
yourself
the
hassle
(and
disappointment) and avoid falling prey to
the new year’s resolution trap by seeking
an alternative.
Now, I’m not suggesting you should avoid
goal setting altogether. On the contrary,
goal setting is a vital necessity for
achieving personal growth! What I am
suggesting though, is looking at it from a
new perspective.
Here is my four-step guide to successfully
achieving your goals:
Step 1. Stop focusing on the outcome
An outcome-based goal is something like
‘I want to lose 10kgs’ or ‘I want to get fit’.
This is the result you are seeking, or in
other words, your ‘destination’ or your
‘what’. Of course, as important as
knowing your destination is having a road
map or a plan of attack to get you there
because otherwise it will forever remain a
dream. So once you set your outcome,
park it, so you can focus on how to get
there.
Step 2. Focus on your road map
Your road map is essentially your ‘how’.
It is your answer to ‘What do I need to do,

in order to achieve my goal?’
For many people this part of the goal
setting process is never done well, hence
why their objectives are not achieved.
Interestingly, success actually has little
to do with a lack of motivation or
willpower, and everything to do with a
lack of ‘skillpower’.
The truth is, most of us do not possess
the skills we need to successfully achieve
our goals. So we need to ask ourself:
•

‘Do I have the right resources to
achieve my goals?’ and ‘If not, how/
where can I find them?’

•

‘Do I have the right knowledge to
achieve my goals?’ and ‘If not, who
do I need to seek out, or how can I
find the information I need to
succeed?’

Step 3. Set your behavioural goals
Once you have identified the skills or
areas you need help with, you can then
go ahead and start setting your
behavioural goals. These are the small
changes in your current behaviours that,
when applied with patience and
consistency, will move you towards your
outcome. For example, setting small
daily goals such as ‘eating three cups of
vegetables’, ‘drinking 2L of water’ or
‘going to bed by 10pm every night’ are all
positive changes in behaviours that can
directly influence your ability to lose
weight or improve your health. Remember,
over time it’s the small positive changes
in habits that will result in big change!
Ask yourself the following questions:

•

‘What in my current situation/
environment needs to change?’

•

‘What behaviours are keeping me
from achieving my goals?’

•

‘What are the top two or three things
I need to do on a daily basis, that
will take me closer to achieving my
goal?’

4. Find your ‘why’
More often than not, achieving a weight
loss or health-related goal is actually not
about the outcome per se, and more
about the meaning that is attached to
achieving that goal. By this I mean, if you
lose weight, you will you feel sexier, more
powerful, more confident and maybe
more in control. Similarly, do you want to
improve your health so you can be a
better role model for your kids, or so you
can have the energy and vitality you need
to keep up with them? Or maybe you just
want to make sure you’ll be around to see
them grow up.
Understanding your ‘why’ is the most
powerful motivator of all. By identifying
the true emotion behind your goal you are
more likely to be fuelled by the desire
and motivation required to stick to your
road map. Dig deep to find out the true
meaning of your outcome, and the
toughest part of the battle is won.
Last but not least, wait until you are a
few weeks into the new year before you
set your goals. Without the celebratory
distractions and once you’re settled into
the new year, you can really sit down and
nut out the things that matter most.

( OH! MAGAZINE ) JAN 2015

15