If you’ve got a New Year’s resolution or intention that you’d like to really make happen this year, here’s an acronym to help:
Make your Actions Specific and Sticky = MASSive Success!
Make Your Actions Specific
The first step in moving forward towards a goal is to figure out what action you will need to take. Many people set intentions or goals that aren’t yet broken down into actions that you can actually do.
Say, for example, your New Year’s resolution is to “lose five pounds.” That phrase describes the end result you’d like to achieve, but not how you will actually make that happen. A specific action for that resolution might be: go running for 20 minutes, three times a week. Notice that it’s something you can actually do, and it’s expressed in measurements of duration and frequency. At the end of the week, you could ask yourself did I take action on my goal? and you’ll have a clear answer.
Make Your Actions Sticky
If you’re trying to change your behavior, one of the best ways to increase your success is to figure out a way to attach your new behavior to something you’re already doing. A sticky action towards losing weight might be order a green salad whenever I go out to eat. For most people, it’s harder to keep up with totally new activities than it is to make small adjustments to those you’re already doing.
What specific, sticky action could you take today towards your goals?