Dear Dave: Do you have any advice for sticking with your goals and New Year’s resolutions? I always have great things in mind to shoot for in December, but then they always seem to fall by the wayside before spring. — Rae
Dear Rae: Believe it or not, setting goals and making them happen is easier than most people think. You just need to keep a few guidelines in mind at the beginning of the process.
The first guideline is to be specific. What do you want to achieve? And be super specific when you answer that question. Things like “eat healthier” or “read more” are too vague. Instead, try something like “cut eating out to twice a week” or “read for at least 30 minutes every night before bed.” Also, look out for any roadblocks that could keep you from reaching your goal, and make a plan to knock them out of the way.
Number two, make your goals measurable. A goal like “lose weight” has no target attached to it. But “lose 20 pounds” has a clear finish line. You can also break your goal setting into bite-size chunks. Give yourself daily, weekly and monthly steps to take. Focus on those, and when you accomplish one, tackle the next.
Three, set a time limit. You need a finish line, so take your goal, create a plan and break it all the way down into daily activities. Then, give yourself a deadline. You might say, “I want to lose 25 pounds by December 31, 2025.” To lose those 25 pounds by your deadline, figure out things like how many times you need to work out each week and how many calories to eat in a day.
Number four, make sure the goals are yours. Trying to achieve someone else’s goals for your life never works. Why? Because working hard is hard work. You won’t have the drive to stick with it if it’s something you aren’t not passionate about.
Finally, set your goals down in writing. Something special happens when you write down specific goals. Seeing them plainly in front of you hammers it home in a way nothing else will. There’s a reason God said, “Write the vision, and make it plain,” in Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV). Get those goals down on paper, along with all the steps it’ll take to make them happen.
And hey, don’t beat yourself up if you get a little off track, Rae. Keep your chin up and your eyes on the prize. As long as you stay focused on the end goal and keep taking steps—even small ones in the right direction—you’ll eventually turn those goals into reality! — Dave

Dave Ramsey is host of The Ramsey Show.