How to Stick to Your Goals in 2020

Luke Acree

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It’s February as I write this. And, by now, most people have already failed at their New Year’s resolutions.

That’s kind of a depressing fact. But don’t worry: all hope is not lost!

You can get back on track—or stay on track—toward your goals, no matter what time of year it is.

In this blog, I’ll share some things I’ve learned that have helped keep me motivated during difficult times.

When something is hard, do it anyway.

When something is hard, do it anyway.

My favorite book I’ve read recently is Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins.

David is a retired Navy SEAL, motivational speaker, and triathlete. He runs ultramarathons, bikes incredible distances, and seems to excel at everything he does.

David has a mind-set that allows him to beat unreal odds, along with an amazing ability to follow through. His “do it anyway” philosophy has been motivating me to step up my game this year, and I think anyone can learn from it.

What I love about this attitude is how honest it is. There is no magic thing that will help you get through the hard times. It’s a decision to persevere.

When that alarm clock goes off and you’re tired, there’s no simple hack that I can give you that will make it easier. You just have to do it.

Stop looking for the magic formula. Some things are hard. Do them anyway.

Find power in consistency.

Find power in consistency.

David Goggins talks about the idea of self-talk.

I find this incredibly powerful.

When you’re being lazy or inconsistent, you’re only hurting yourself. Instead, tell yourself you’re a champion. You can and will do this.

David writes about his experience as an ultramarathon runner. He was 50 miles into a 100-mile race, and he felt physically broken. But he reminded himself that he trained for this—every morning for 6 months.

David ran over 6,000 miles to get to where he was. At that point, what was 50 more miles?

From that perspective, almost anything is attainable. You’re a champion because you did the little things that add up to something big.

I recently had a conversation with another inspiring David—best-selling author and speaker David Meltzer. He talked about how doing something for two minutes every day is better than doing it for 20 minutes on a Saturday.

I love that idea. Because, when you do something consistently, it becomes a habit that’s hard to break.

Remember: January 1 is just a day.

Remember: January 1 is just a day.

I started off the year really sick.

I was the sickest I’ve been in a long time. I lost my voice, which plays a crucial role in what I do every day.

It really sucked. When you start out the new year, you’re motivated. But when you’re sick, it’s really hard to stay motivated.

I realized how easy it is to let your mind take control—taking you to a negative place.

On a physical level, I found it hard to hit my goals. I couldn’t stick to going to the gym, struggled with some of my work duties, and found myself feeling even worse.

I was being too hard on myself!

Had this happened to me in December, I would’ve simply dusted myself off and resolved to do better in January.

Whether you’re reading this in March, April, or December, you shouldn’t get so hung up on what month it is. New Year’s resolutions are arbitrary. What really matters is that you continue to work on yourself.

If you slipped up yesterday, start again today. Don’t give up because your January or February didn’t go the way you wanted.

Remain committed to yourself, and you’ll do incredible things.

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Written by Luke Acree

Luke Acree, President of ReminderMedia, is a sales fanatic, a marketing evangelist, and an expert team builder. Luke has worked with tens of thousands of agents over the years, helping them understand how to connect with their client database in a way that generates leads, secures repeat clients, and captures referrals.