Making It Stick in '06

Are you stuck with the same new year resolution you made last year? Are you tired of being stuck with the same old problems year after year after year? And I know you wonder what other people are doing that seem to be able to stick with their goals, aren’t you? Why not you?

It *can* be you. They just know some things that you don’t, and I’m going to share them with you right now.

Stick With Starting If you’ve already lapsed on your goal, don’t stick with quitting. Stick with starting again and again if you have to. If one thing doesn’t work, try another. But don’t quit. The only difference between you and those who get what they want is you stopped, and they didn’t. Start again.

Stick With Solutions Whatever you focus on in your life is what you’ll have. You can’t grow what you don’t nourish. So if you decide to stick with focusing on everything that’s wrong in your life, it’ll stay wrong. Instead, stick with focusing on solutions. Stick with finding answers.

Stick With Something New If you continue to do the same old thing, the same old way, you’ll get the same old results. If you want something different, you’re going to have to try something different, and -- here’s the best part -- you’ll get different results.

Stick with Small Steps It’s easy to get caught up in being gung-ho with a new goal, or even a newly visited goal. And sometimes a Clean-Sweep is in order and can work. But just as often it sets you up for failure, since it could mean you have to completely rearrange your life to make it happen. Instead make a smaller change, and build on it as you go. This sets you up for success.

Stick with Smiles No matter what you’re doing -- even those pesky daily chores -- find ways to enjoy it. When I was a little girl, I used to make up stories about the fork and spoon as I put them away in the drawer. If you grumble through your tasks, you’re just zapping yourself of much needed energy and setting yourself up for procrastination. Dance while you vacuum; listen to books while you clean. Find the fun again.

Stick with Responsibility I know, this one used to give me a headache too. But then I learned that responsibility is different from blame. With ownership of a problem (responsibility) you have choices. As long as you blame others, you have no power to make things better. Once you consider yourself in the mix, you have choice. And that, my friends, is freedom.

Stick with Today Practicing the power of now is one of the very best things you can do to help you stick with your goal. In order to lose 10 lbs., you’ve first got to lose 1. Focus on that one, then the next one, instead of letting your imagination talk you out of the last 8. Focus on just what you can do today. Focus on what choices you are making right now. Fear, worry, over analyzing, procrastination can all keep you from sticking with a goal. Stick with whatever action you can take today.

As you can see, it’s not about willpower. It’s about sticking with something that works for you. By sticking with your goal even when times get rough, you’ll teach yourself that you can win. Your self esteem will soar, your confidence will build, and you’ll turn into the winner you’ve always known you are.
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Life Coach Kathy Gates specializes in focus and motivation --helping people cut to the chase, and get back on track. My strengths help you maximize what you already have and focus on a clear path. Want to know how? www.reallifecoach.com to learn more about how Life Coaching can help you.