Todd Goodwin, MS, CH
Certified Consulting Hypnotist
The Miami Hypnosis Center

It’s the start of a new year, so that means it’s time for most people to get a fresh start, lay the groundwork for achieving goals, and make some positive changes. And while this is a common theme at the beginning of each year, the results are typically the same as in the past. We hastily set a few goals, maybe even do some planning, and with a hefty dose of optimism we face the new year with the hope that, this time, we’re going to finally accomplish what we set out to do.

Unfortunately, with that optimism often comes a bit of painful realism, based on past experience. So when the attempt to change fails, or the motivation to keep our resolution fades, we experience both disappointment and a sense of confirmed expectation – “Well, at least this year I kept going to the gym until Valentine’s Day!”

Be brutally honest with yourself. Why is this year going to be any different than previous years when it comes to changing habits, reaching goals, and keeping resolutions? Realize that the only way to get different results is to take a radically different approach.

Since I work everyday with people just like you who need help to solve problems in their lives, I want to share with you the 7 keys to successfully reaching your goals and keeping your resolutions, especially as they relate to changing your habits. Do all of these well, and you will likely succeed. As you read on, you will notice where you ran into problems in the past.

Step 1: State specifically what you want.

What do you want to achieve? Do you want to quit smoking, lose weight, learn to manage stress, overcome your fears, learn new skills, get organized, improve your finances, improve your golf game, enhance your relationships, overcome procrastination, or something else? Since you have a goal, you probably already know what you want. But it must be as specific as possible, including when you are going to start or finish. Some goals should have a deadline, like quitting smoking or cleaning out the garage. Write it down so it becomes concrete to you.

Step 2: Describe why you want it.

Why do you want to accomplish your goal? It’s critical to have compelling reasons with strong emotional appeal – this is not an intellectual process. For instance, “I’d like to quit smoking because it would be the healthy thing to do,” is a weak reason. On the other hand, “I must quit smoking now because I’m sick of being controlled by this disgusting habit,” could definitely inspire you to take action. You must connect emotionally with your reasons to feel the consequences of both succeeding and doing nothing. Emotion is the fuel that drives behavioral change and is an essential ingredient of self-motivation.

Step 3: Ask yourself “How will I know that I’m succeeding?”

At first glance, this may seem obvious – “I’ll know I’m losing weight when I’ve lost weight!” But if you were driving to another city, you would have to know which signs to look for to tell you that you’re on the right track or that you’ve reached your destination. The easy part is first to decide how you will measure your progress. It is equally important to create a specific mental image of how things will look, sound, and feel once you’ve achieved your goal. For instance, imagine vividly how you will look when you’ve reached your target body weight and fitness level. What will others say to you? How will you talk to yourself? How will you feel physically and emotionally? The more realistic and specific your imagined goal state, the more likely you are to realize it.

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