I spent a good deal of my life working in sales. In that time, I managed to glean quite a bit of information about goal setting and goal reaching. Below are some of the best tips I could give you about setting goals at this time of resolutions for the upcoming year.
Put your goals in writing. The same goes for resolutions. If they are in writing, you can hold yourself accountable. If you just think the goals or resolutions up every now and then, they will be different and you will not be able to measure your progress.
Share your goals with others. In the case of your resolutions, share them with your friends and family. Ask them to help. Make the resolution something that is important to many, not just yourself.
Be specific in your goals. If you are specific, you are more likely to be able to work towards the goals you set. By making your goals specific, you are also able to measure your progress towards the goal.
Written goals should be placed where you can see them. It helps you to keep the goals in your mind by having them posted where you see them. This will help you stay focused.
Develop an action plan for each goal. It may be to break it down into small steps for each week, each month. It may be to figure out what cookbook has the healthy recipes to allow you to eat better.
Set deadlines to keep track of your goals. I would review my resolutions or aspirations at the beginning of each new month. That way I had a deadline for the action steps and I was holding myself accountable. It also gave me a chance to reassess if necessary.
Create a motivational collage. I have done this many times while in sales. I would use whatever reward was being given for a certain sales level and collage about that. I would then post the collage on the fridge so that I saw it all the time and was reminded of what I was working towards.
Don’t expect perfection! We all overestimate what we can do. We all make mistakes. We all forget our way occasionally.
Reward yourself. When you reach an action plan goal, reward yourself somehow. If you are working towards a weight loss goal, when you reach a certain point, reward yourself with a purchase of clothing or something that will motivate you.
Keep the goal in mind but remember that there is more to a goal than just writing it down.
Nicki's Nook 
Ok, I shall reward my weight loss with more red velvet cake..hee hee…
Liz – I can enable you by making it! You would have to get up here to get it, though. LOL
I really like this. I know exactly how I can achieve my goals. When I make a goal, I stick to it. Even if it means having to get up earlier.
Ambrosia – me too! I hate when I have to change a goal, too.
For me writing them down DEFINITELY helps. And I’m always wary of sharing them with people because then I REALLY have to do it! I wrote them in my blog so I have to do them or my MILLIONS of readers will come hunt me down! 🙂
These are great tips. Thanks!
I am with you, Becca. I did, until last year, post them in my blog and actually did monthly “visits” to my progress. I stopped that last year but not totally sure why. I may go back to it but have yet to totally formulate my list for 2010. Hopefully, I get that done before 2011 is around. 🙂
I love this focus on the concrete amidst all the talk of resolutions at this time of year. As Becca points out, it’s easier to skate by without sharing our goals, but then we also don’t have anyone to hold us accountable for them. Great tips!
The ability to measure and to be accountable are important in any goal. I truly believe this. The small steps can so easily be lost so they need to be in writing too.