You can, if you will

Have you ever let fear stop you from trying something new or hard? Have you ever given up on something before you’ve even begun? What if this was our approach toward life and taking chances? Of course it’s easier not to try because then you will never have to know what it feels like to fail. But what if you took that chance and you tried something new? You may discover something that you love, something that you’ve been missing out on, or something that inspires you to try even more things.

While this mantra applies to starting a new business, it can be applied to everything in life that might be holding you back. For example, while reading with my young son, he continued to get tripped up by words that were unfamiliar. He got really frustrated and discouraged and wanted to quit, and told me that he couldn’t do it. Instead of letting him quit, I told him “you can’t if you won’t.” If you are not willing to try again and continue to practice, you won’t find success. But, with more practice and more patience you will become a better reader and you will find confidence in something that you will actually enjoy.

Now reading might not be something that people can relate to unless they are six, but the lessons are the same. If there is something that you want to try, want to do, or just want to improve upon, then just start!

Here are some great tips to get you over the hurdle and keep you on the right track for the New Year and beyond.

1. Keep your goals simple.

Focus clearly on one or two of the most important things that you want to achieve and go after it. Trying to do too many things sets you up for potential disappointment. Start small and work on achieving those goals. You can always add more to your list later.

2. Choose carefully.

Find that thing that you believe is going to have the greatest affect on your happiness and overall well-being. Do something that will challenge you, but that still gets you excited when you talk about it.

3. Be realistic.

Take into consideration your lifestyle and the amount of time that you have or are willing to dedicate to your new venture. If you are not willing to put in the time or just don’t have it, don’t set yourself up to get discouraged before you even begin.

4. Create bite-sized portions.

Break down goals into manageable chunks. Set clear, realistic goals such as signing up for a class by a particular date, or saving $50 a month, or setting up 3 new networking meetings a week. Then, decide exactly how you will make this happen.

5. Plan a time-frame.

Whether you have a paper calendar or you prefer to keep track digitally, putting a timeline to your goals will be the best way to measure them, both short and long term. Set up a check-in cadence so you can stay on top of your progress and determine how to adjust should your goals change along the way.

6. Keep track.

Having something to look back on will not only give you a picture of where you are today, but also a reminder of how far you’ve come. It’s an opportunity to see what things you have accomplished and what things you are still working on.

7. Celebrate milestones.

This doesn’t mean treating yourself to a coffee every time you go to a class, but maybe after you have been going for a month. Decide on how you will celebrate while you are making your goals. This is a wonderful motivator to begin checking things off your list. And if feels pretty great to have accomplishments under your belt.

8. Ask for encouragement.

We all have good intentions when we are trying something new. We want to give it 110%, but sometimes life gets in the way. Don’t give up on yourself, and make sure you have your cheerleaders at the ready to help pick you up and get you back on track.

9. Don’t give up!

New things are hard. Whether it’s learning to read or starting a new business, there will always be challenges that arise. The most important thing you can do for yourself is to never give up. You can take a break, or start over tomorrow, but if it is truly something that you want, give it your all and you will feel better for it.

10. Put yourself in charge.

You will receive a lot of advice, some of which will be unsolicited. But what you do with it is up to you. You get to decide how to move forward toward achieving your goals. You get to own both your successes and your missteps. So don’t let other people dictate how you move forward as you go after your goals. Remember to make a plan, be realistic and be kind to yourself.

So as you begin this New Year, remember you can, if you will. If you are willing to put in the time and the effort, there is no reason you should not be successful.