Resolutions Change Over Time and That’s Ok

You've probably heard all your life that you should never give up. You've listened to parents, teachers and coaches throughout the years as they've encouraged you not to quit and to go after what you want until you get it. While it's good to be persistent and reaching a goal takes follow-through, this all or nothing type of advice can have its pitfalls. Sometimes our goals no longer suit us for various reasons, and continuing to pursue them can have lots of negative results. Read on to discover why it's okay that your resolutions change over time and how to handle it when they do.

Be Flexible

First, it's important to go into setting resolutions with a flexible mindset. Know that there's a chance you may find the thing you resolve to do now may not be the best thing for you three months from now. Our lives and our needs evolve. So should our resolutions. Sometimes we may even choose the wrong goal. This could happen due to peer pressure, misaligned expectations or simply due to poor timing. Knowing that goals aren't set in stone will allow you to revise them as needed to serve you well.

Review and Assess

Next, remember to review your resolution regularly, especially if something doesn't feel right. We all hit rough spots while pursuing a goal. It can be hard to overcome a plateau or to motivate ourselves to move past the challenging parts. However, if a pursuit starts to feel like it doesn't fit your lifestyle or interests, perhaps it's not the right place to focus your attention. Take time to assess your objectives if something feels off. It's also wise to schedule periodic check-ins on a regular basis to be sure you're on track and to look at whether certain tweaks can be made to help make your journey an even more productive one.

Make Some Revisions

These tweaks can make a huge difference in your level of satisfaction. Perhaps your goal is to write a book. Maybe you've established a realistic timeline for completing each step. That's a great start. It's possible, however, to discover that you're actually ahead of your game or going off course when you sit down to assess your progress. If you find yourself way ahead, this may mean you can add some extra steps to make your book even better, such as a trip to a historical registry to uncover some unique tidbits pertinent to your story line. If you find you've veered off track, now is the time to brainstorm ways to bring your goal back on course so that you can maintain your productivity and motivation. You may even find that you want to revise that goal a bit or change it completely. Maybe you realize at your assessment point that you're really not passionate about your subject matter at all anymore. It might not make sense to pour your energy and resources into something your heart's no longer feeling. Perhaps it's time to choose another book topic or to let that idea simmer for a while.

There's no harm in admitting that a resolution is no longer serving you, as long as you're being honest with yourself. Giving up simply because it's the path of least resistance is rarely the answer. After some soul searching, it's possible you'll come to know that allowing your resolution to change might be your best solution.

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