Well, if you are like most people, the thrill of creating a new habit or letting go of an old habit may be gone. For what it's worth, I think January is a particularly difficult time to create new patterns to begin with. Most of us are a little burned out from the holidays, we are still in the darkest time of the year, and our attention is turned inward and towards comfort and coziness.
Now that the light is returning, though, it may be time to assess what you want to create this year. When setting a goal, it is important to connect it to a deeply held value. For instance, I coach a woman who wants to get to a healthy weight. Her goal is a specific amount of weight loss, but the reason she is pursuing it is tied to her core values of honoring her body, being there for her loved ones, expressing her freedom of choice. Notice how juicy that all sounds? There is certainly more energy held in the value than the goal!
So, I invite you to make a list of what you want to create this year. For each item/idea, ask yourself the following questions:
-What is important about this?
-What do I truly long for?
-What would having this/doing this/being this give me?
-What would it give the world?
-What would it be like if nothing changed?
Another way to add more energy to achieving a goal is to try to answer these questions from somewhere other than your intellect. For instance, "what is important about this?" can be asked directly to your heart or your gut! See if the answer is different when you ask in this way.
Lastly, find a symbol or a potent image to represent what you truly want. Metaphors speak to a different part of us. Imagery taps into our subconscious and can powerfully motivate. In the example of being at a healthy weight, an image could be the body as an altar (encompassing the value of honoring the body) or a heart pumping blood to different organs (encompassing the value of being there for one's family).
How about you? What have you found useful or not so useful in setting goals?