New Year, New Targets: A New Way to Hit Your Goals in 2022

Each year, millions of people make New Year’s Resolutions. This is the year they’ll finally lose weight, change jobs, eat healthier, and quit that nightly glass of pinot!

Unfortunately, statistics show most people ( over 50%, to be exact ) fall off the wagon within 6 months of setting a goal. And even more quit by early February. Those are some harsh numbers!

Thankfully, reframing your mindset can make a big difference in succeeding with your New Year’s goals and declarations.

This article explores why resolutions are out , setting targets is in , and how you can cultivate your ideal life in 2022.

Setting a New Year’s Resolution is so common in our culture it’s practically required. Hasn’t at least one person asked you about your New Year’s Resolution?

With more than a 50% failure rate, we must be missing something important in the New Year’s Resolution process. The truth is, when we consistently set resolutions and fail to achieve them, we often feel down on ourselves. “Why set them? I never meet them.” Not exactly the best way to start off the new year.

Why not try a new approach? Rather than set the standard New Year’s Resolutions in 2022, consider setting Specific Positive Actionable Targets instead.

One major reason people often fail to meet their New Year’s resolutions is they lack a specific action plan. Sure, you can say you want to lose weight in 2022, but if your plan is to “go to the gym more often,” you’ll likely be unsuccessful at losing weight.

Why ?

Because “go to the gym more often” is vague and lacks a specific action toward your target of losing weight. You could technically go to the gym, walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes, socialize with gym friends, and call it a day. Did you do what you said you’d do? Yep, you went to the gym. Is it likely to help you lose weight? Probably not.

Instead, think of a specific, actionable, positive target that you can realistically and regularly achieve. “Walk for 20 minutes Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday day before breakfast” is a much more targeted approach. And even if you don’t hit your target of walking 100% of the time, having a specific, actionable, positive target will propel you in the direction of your goal.

The idea is to use positive targets to set yourself on a trajectory toward succeeding at reaching your goal, not to hyper-fixate on goal-setting or restrictions.

Here are a few more examples of setting specific, positive, actionable targets instead of vague goals:

Vague Goal : Save more money this year.
Specific, Positive, Actionable Target : Put $25 each week into a savings account.

Vague Goal : Eat healthier.
Specific, Positive, Actionable Target : Eat one serving of greens each day.

Vague Goal: Drink less alcohol.

Specific, Positive, Actionable Target: Replace 1 drink per day with a non-alcoholic alternative.

2021 was a challenging year for many of us. And… 2022 can be very different if we keep our eye on specific, positive, actionable targets that help us thrive and reach our desired life.

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