Setting Goals for 2023

With the New Year now underway we’ll all be thinking about what goals we want to achieve within the year of 2023. Whether these are goals you want to achieve in health and fitness or goals you want to achieve within your working life. Setting different goals throughout the next few months can be important in keeping productivity and motivation levels high.

Yet, setting goals and sticking to a plan to achieve them are two separate things. I am sure we have all set goals that we didn’t achieve after losing motivation halfway through.

In fact, research from the University of Scranton shows that only 8% of people fulfil their New Year’s Resolution. This is a staggeringly low number, but why is it so low?

In this blog we will be discussing our top 5 tips you can put in place to make your 2023 a success this year.

1. DON’T SET TOO MANY GOALS

We only have a certain amount of time and energy in a day. Chances are if you set too many goals at once you won’t have the time or energy to adequately fulfil them. Ensuring you don’t fill every single minute of free time you have working towards many goals is key. Although it seems productive you’ll likely lose motivation and the constant switching between different tasks will be draining. Stick to one or two goals at a time no matter how small it is. You can always add more goals once you’ve achieved the first.

2. ENSURE YOUR GOALS ARE POSITIVE

A lot of people will make goals based on negative emotions and feelings. For example, setting the goal of wanting to lose ‘x’ amount of weight comes with a negative connotation as it is focused on what you don’t want – your weight, rather than what you do want. Negative goals are emotionally attractive which makes people less motivated to achieve them. Instead, create goals that will empower you or will help you make healthy and positive changes in your life. This could be ensuring you eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg each day or going for a daily 30 minute walk outdoors.

3. “Big journeys begin with small steps”

It’s important to challenge yourself and to push both your mind and body outside of your comfort zone. This allows us to help build your creativity, focus on your self-confidence, and learn more about yourself. But if you’re setting yourself a big target for 2023 ensure you have the stepping stones in place to make it achievable. Sometimes having a goal that is so far away from what you are capable of doing now makes it difficult to maintain the motivation. There is a famous quote from a book called “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by Charlie Macksey which reads:

“I can’t see a way through,” said the boy,

“Can you see the next step?”,

“Yes”,

“Just take that” , said the horse.

This simple yet powerful quote highlights the importance of always focusing on the next step. Having a big goal in mind can seem daunting. But breaking these goals down into small tasks is a great way of making a seemingly difficult challenge more attainable.

4. HAVE A GOOD SUPPORT NETWORK AROUND YOU

Having the right social support network can be the difference between powering through those low-motivation days and giving up at the first sign of a slump. Doing the hard things, such as beginning a new exercise regime or altering your diet, in isolation can be incredibly difficult. If you’re on your own it’s easy for that first day of muscle soreness or that first time you think you’re ‘too busy’ to derail your progress and put your goals on hold. Having people who know the goals you’re trying to achieve and can offer support in times of need can be crucial to sticking with a plan.

5. BALANCE IS KEY

Being dedicated towards a goal and being strict on yourself to not let the hard times allow you lose focus are crucial to goal setting. However, we are only human and at times we may need to let our hair down once in a while to keep ourselves sane! This doesn’t mean that if you’re on a diet that it’s a good idea to have a full week of madness and drastically exceed your set daily calories. But rather reward your success. If you’ve had a great month at work, celebrate with your colleagues by having a glass of wine or two! This at times can help keep you on track and keep motivation levels high if you’re not constantly depriving yourself of things that may make you happy!

TIME TO TAKE ACTION

Goal setting is incredibly important in all aspects of life no matter what you’re striving towards. That is why at ProSport we take the time to provide you with a clear and constructive plan to achieve your goals. If your pain is stopping you from doing the things you love or even preventing you from setting a new goal within 2023 then get in touch with us on 01484 443 173 and claim your free assessment today.