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This Year, Set Goals – Not Resolutions
Put Your Future in Good Hands – Your Own!
Set Measurable, Achievable, Time Limited Goals, Congruent with Your Value Set.
Start the year on a positive note by committing to a healthier lifestyle. But do more than make a New Year’s resolution; get specific, get serious, and write it down. Focus on goals – not hopeful, hazy resolutions.
Most New Year’s resolutions appear after the excesses of end-of-year festivities. Feeling bloated, tired, and out of sorts, we realise it’s time for a change.
Lacking our usual structure, we begin crafting some vague wish list: “I’ll lose weight,” “I’ll fit into those jeans,” “I’m cutting out booze.”
Lovely ideas – but, without a plan, they remain little more than fleeting resolutions. By February, they’re forgotten.
Why? Because there was no written plan, no plan of attack, no timeframe, and no measurable outcome. Often these resolutions are also more like knee-jerk reactions than proactive goals aligned with our core values.
Goals are like the GPS for Your Life.
They are specific, actionable and (brace yourself) written down.
Compare “I’m going to get up really early each day to exercise ‘cause I porked up over Christmas” with scheduling three 45-minute workouts on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, before breakfast at 7:30 am, with a friend, so you can enjoy better fitness and keep up with the grandkids on the weekend. The second scenario has direction, a timeframe, a buddy system, and a powerful motivation.
“By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands – your own.” Mark Victor
Unless you write your goal down, it’s unlikely you’ll ever achieve it. Writing it down feels like a public commitment to yourself. Except the only person you’ll disappoint is you (and maybe your dog, who was counting on the extra walks).
Better yet, review your goal daily, and your chance of success soars. We gravitate towards our most dominant thoughts. With so many distractions – Facebook, Instagram, or that mindless TV show – we need constant refocusing to stay on task.
Beware the ‘Horror Movie’ in Your Head
By ‘horror movie,’ I’m referring to negative self-talk: “I’m running late,” “I’ll never finish,” “I’ll never pass these exams,” “I’ll never lose this weight,” “I’ll never pay off this credit card.” If someone spoke to you the way you speak to yourself, you wouldn’t tolerate it. If you think you can’t do it, you’re probably right. If you think you’re not good enough, you likely won’t achieve what you desire. Be mindful of where you let your mind wander. Focus on what you want more of, not on what you don’t want. Consistently review and remind yourself of the outcome you want.
Here’s the key: don’t just write your goals down and then bury them in a drawer. If you’re not frequently reviewing them, you’ll forget them—like going to the supermarket without a shopping list. You’ll wander aimlessly and end up with loads of stuff you don’t need. (And if you’re a bloke, you’ll probably forget what you went for in the first place!)
Six Steps to Get What You Desire
Adapted from Napoleon Hill’s principles, here are six practical steps for achieving your goals:
- Fix in Your Mind Exactly What You Want
It’s not enough to say, “I just want to lose weight” or “I want to be healthier.” These are vague activities, not precise goals. Get specific: the exact kilograms, the blood test results, the number of push-ups you can do, or the weight you aim to squat. Hazy goals yield hazy results. - Determine What You’ll Give in Return
There’s no such thing as something for nothing. What are you prepared to sacrifice or reduce- grog, grains, gluttony, guilt, gadgets, gambling, games? Whatever it is, know that achieving something great often requires trading in something else. Sean Connery said it best in The Untouchables: “What are you prepared to do now?” - Set a Deadline
Most of us work best under a bit of pressure. Without a due date, we drift. Nothing sharpens the mind like having to meet a specific result by a certain time. Don’t just say, “I’ll train.” Enter a race, schedule a fun run, or book a challenge. If you can’t get a date, pay for a date—register for an event and stick the entry ticket on your mirror as a reminder. A goal without a deadline is just a wish. Deadlines are like the nudge you need to turn “someday” into “today.” - Create a Definite Plan—And Start Immediately
“Tomorrow” is the greatest labour-saving device ever invented. Start now. Throw out the cigarettes. Clear the wheat products from your pantry. Pour the fizzy drinks down the drain. Make decisions now, not tomorrow. No plan is a plan to fail. - Write Out a Clear Statement
If you don’t write it, it doesn’t exist. This statement should specify your health goal, your timeframe, what you’re giving up or changing, and your exact plan for achieving it. If you don’t write the dream down and act on it, it remains a dream. Stick it somewhere you’ll see it daily, like your fridge or bathroom mirror (bonus points if it hides the chocolate stash). - Read Your Statement Aloud Twice a Day
Yes, it feels cheesy or “too American,” but it works. Your brain can’t always distinguish between imagined and actual experiences, so use that to your advantage. The physiological response to something you visualise can mirror a real-life event. So channel your inner motivational speaker and make it happen. Read your goals aloud – morning and night.
Review Your Goals and Objectives
You don’t “pay the price” for good health—you reap the benefits. The same goes for your neuro-musculoskeletal care: if your only goal is to get rid of pain, then you’re essentially using your practitioner as an expensive form of aspirin. Ask yourself: What do I want to achieve with better health? What would a stronger body enable me to do?
Achieving your goals isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about creating a life where you’re healthier, happier, and better equipped to give back. Want better health? Start by taking care of yourself.
The best goals align with your core values. If your goals aren’t meaningful to you, they’ll feel like chores, not achievements. And no one ever got excited about ticking off a chore list.
Final Thoughts
- You’ll never have a dream come true if you don’t first have a dream.
- It’s not just about “getting more stuff.”
- It’s about what you can give and who you can serve.
The best way to get what you want is to help others achieve what they want. But don’t give with one hand while expecting something in the other. Life just doesn’t work that way.
If you want more love, give more love. If you prefer more anger – well, you’ll get that too. So be sure your goals align with your core values. Even if you achieve a goal that goes against those values, you won’t be happy.
“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.” – Nido Qubein
Use this fresh start to set real, tangible goals and back them up with commitment, a plan, and positive self-talk. You’ve got this – and this time next year, you’ll be celebrating progress, not lamenting another forgotten resolution.
Maybe next year, you’ll be the one inspiring others…
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The Spinal Centre focuses on resolution with the development of individualised treatment programs using Conservative and Integrative Medicine; combining genetic, metabolic and nutritional testing with specific natural medicines to enhance your health and achieve your genetic potential.We have helped thousands – Why Not You?
