Did you tell your brain about your New Year’s resolutions?

New Year’s is the perennial renewal of hope that this coming year will be better than last. It’s the celebration of the end of last year (no matter how good or how bad) and the anticipation of looking forward to the new year.

It has become our collective belief that with this fresh start our good fortune will increase by making resolutions to change for the better. And, according to those who seem to be successful with their resolutions, writing down your goals for what you want to change and accomplish in the New Year is the way to go.

Was your e-mail box filled with messages touting the value of setting out a goal list for the New Year and reminding you that only 3% of the population commits their goals to paper in pursuit of their dreams? I thought so.

I’m also pretty sure that you were one of the 3% that did write a goal list last year. But, it’s just a guess on my part mind you, that despite doing so you are at the same place you were last year at this time.

There was no question at the time you were resolute about improving your life and that you proceeded with good intentions. However even though it is 365 days later and you can’t find that goal list, you can honestly say you did go to the gym (not as often as you would have liked, after all life got in the way) and you did lose a few pounds (until life got crazy again).

You may even find yourself trying to understand your failure by asking yourself was my goal …

too big
too vague
not relevant to my actual needs
not in alignment with who I am
not written in the S.M.A.R.T goal format

Did I not ….

take persistent and consistent action
create a schedule and a means to track my success
stay focused and removed all those time wasting distractions
break my goal down into smaller achievable steps
motivate myself to really make a commitment to change my life

I’m here to tell you stop agonizing. It’s not your fault!!!

The real reason why you have trouble making your goal dreams

come true is that you didn’t let your brain know

that you were making any changes.

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you why you need to let your brain know you’re making changes.