The start of a new year (and decade) is a blank slate and the perfect time to reflect on personal goals. Most people start out with the best of intentions, but around 80% of people end up abandoning their resolutions by mid-February. So, how can you land squarely in the 20% that achieve their goals? Here are a few tips for making habits stick:

1. Start with small, attainable and measurable goals: If your goal is to lose weight, don’t start out with a goal of losing 50 pounds in the year. Make it a more manageable number like 10 and then reset the goal after you achieve it. Give yourself “mini goals” so you can get easy wins that will motivate you to move forward.
2. Write it down: Write your goals down and put it where you will see it and be reminded of it daily (sticky note on the bathroom mirror, taped to your closet door, in your car, etc). Along with the goal, write down WHY you want to achieve the goals so you remember your reason working so hard for something.
3. Work on one goal at a time: Once you’ve turned a goal into habit, move on to the next one. On average, it takes about 2 months for something to become a habit, so stick with it for at least that long and the behavior should start becoming automatic.
4. Tell people about your goal: Having an accountability partner is invaluable. People often know how to accomplish their goals, they just get out of the practice of working for it. Choose someone that will take their job as accountability partner seriously so they will help you keep up the work. Online support groups can be helpful too and you can easily find a virtual accountability partner.
5. Time block: Reserve a certain day + time to work on your goal. Blocking off time on your calendar gives the task more importance than if it’s just in the back of your mind. Make sure to keep a log somewhere to reflect on how you did during the year sticking with your set goals.
6. If you fail, don’t give up: Remember, just because you have a bad day or a bad week doesn’t mean you should give up on the entire year! If you fall 3 times, get up 4 and keep going. That’s the key to long term success!

If your goal this year is to buy or sell a home, The Peters Company is here for you! Give our office a call at 678-921-1470.

Written by Stephanie Warner