New Year, Better Protector
Do you know what January 19th is? The day is known as “Quitters Day”. By that point, many people have abandoned their New Year’s Resolutions. Common reasons include setting unrealistic expectations, lack of a clear plan, or failure to establish new habits. So how do we beat this and become a Better Protector in the new year?
Quitting is Common
Quitting is easy. Only about 8% of people succeed with their resolutions. 43% have given up by the end of January. 80% abandon their efforts by the end of February.
Using SMART Goals
As mentioned above, the lack of a plan and unrealistic expectations are some of the most common reasons for quitting. But if we take a cue from the business world and use SMART Goals, we can get past those two obstacles much easier.
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SMART Goals are:
- Specific: Being specific not only helps you achieve the goal, but it also helps you know when you achieve it. For example, saying “I want to get into shape” isn’t specific. Saying “I want to exercise for 30 minutes, 4 times a week” is specific.
- Measurable: If you can’t measure a goal, it makes it difficult to know when you’re making progress. “Make more sales” is ambiguous. “Increase sales by 30%” is measurable.
- Achievable: The goal should be realistic and attainable based on your current resources and constraints. Example: “I will start with short runs and gradually increase my distance over six weeks.” Setting goals that are unrealistic simply sets you up for failure.
- Relevant: The goal should align with your broader objectives or values. If you don’t have a reason for it, you are less likely to follow through with it.
- Time-bound: Set a deadline to create a sense of urgency and motivation, but also be realistic. “Publishing a book in the next 30 days” when you’ve never written a book may not be very realistic. “Complete a draft of the first 4 chapters in the next 30 days” may be more achievable.
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What Should Your Goals Be?
That’s a great question. It’s also one I can’t answer for you. Your goals should be relevant to you and where you want to go in life. But I do have some suggestions in the context of being a Better Protector.
- Physical: Pick something you want to improve on physically. It could be losing weight, lifting more weight or lowering your blood pressure. Whatever it is, see if it fits the SMART goals and then apply.
- Learning: What do you want to learn? Is it a new skill, like lockpicking or ju-jitsu? Or do you want to learn new ways to improve on an existing skill, like shooting?
- Relationships: Don’t forget relationships. Having good relationships is part of becoming a Better Protector. Love motivates a protector more than anything else. Pick a goal (or 3) to improve your relationship with your kids, spouse or friends.
- Productivity: I add this because if you can become more productive in other areas, it can often free up time for your other goals. Figure out where you can save time… or what you can cut out of your life that is doing less to achieve your goals and more to keep you from them.
- Other: Remember, this is YOUR list. What do you think will fit in the context of your life? Is it spiritual growth? Do you have financial goals? Do you want to stop smoking? Or read a book a week? Start building birdhouses? Whatever it is, plug it into the SMART Goal framework and see if it fits.
Fail. Fail Again.
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”- Samuel Beckett
You may miss your goals. Don’t allow that to be the stopping point. If your plan was to exercise 3 times a week for 30 minutes and you only did it once this week…you still did it once. And you can do it again next week. If you’re only on chapter 3 of your book draft instead of 4, don’t stop. You still completed 75% of the goal (we know that because it’s measurable). Press on.
So how will you apply this? How will you become a Better Protector this year?