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“Atomic Habits” by James Clear is an insightful and transformative book that serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding and harnessing the power of habits. Clear’s work is a masterful exploration of habit formation and offers actionable strategies for creating positive habits and breaking free from negative ones.

One of the central concepts in the book is “The Goldilocks Rule.” Clear eloquently explains that habits are most effective when they are not too easy, not too hard, but just right in terms of difficulty. This means that for a habit to stick, it should challenge us just enough to keep us engaged but not overwhelm us. Clear’s exploration of this rule helps readers strike the perfect balance in their quest to create lasting habits.

Clear’s insights into the process of “Mastering a Field” shed light on how habits are formed and strengthened. He suggests that it is the small, incremental improvements made consistently over time that lead to mastery. By focusing on the small actions and habits that build up over days, weeks, and months, individuals can achieve remarkable results and develop expertise in their chosen fields.

The book emphasizes the profound impact that strong habits have on our ability to achieve our goals. Clear argues that goals are not achieved in isolation; they are the result of the daily habits and behaviors we engage in. By establishing good habits aligned with our goals, we set ourselves up for success in a much more manageable and sustainable way.

Clear also emphasizes the importance of planning as a key factor in habit formation. He introduces the concept of “implementation intentions,” which involves specifying when and where you will perform a habit. This level of detail increases the likelihood of follow-through. Additionally, Clear introduces the idea of habit tracking, a simple yet effective method to monitor progress and stay accountable. Tracking one’s habits through habit trackers provides a visual representation of commitment and achievement.

The book not only focuses on building good habits but also delves into the psychology of breaking bad habits. Clear offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the cues, cravings, responses, and rewards that underlie habit loops. Armed with this knowledge, readers can identify the triggers of their undesirable habits and develop strategies to overcome them.

One of the strengths of “Atomic Habits” is Clear’s ability to present scientific research and psychological insights in a highly accessible and relatable manner. He uses engaging stories and real-life examples to illustrate his points, making the book not only informative but also enjoyable to read. His writing style is clear, concise, and free from jargon, making complex concepts easily digestible.

In conclusion, “Atomic Habits” by James Clear is a groundbreaking book that provides readers with a practical roadmap to understanding, creating, and breaking habits. Clear’s exploration of “The Goldilocks Rule” and the concept of “Mastering a Field” offers profound insights into habit formation. By illustrating the critical role habits play in achieving goals and emphasizing the value of planning and habit tracking, Clear equips readers with the tools needed to transform their lives. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to improve themselves, develop new habits, and lead a more intentional and fulfilling life.

5 Tips for Setting Healthy New Year’s Resolutions

With the New Year upon us, it is officially goal setting season! Did you know that while 41% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, only ~9% of them feel they are successful in keeping them? This doesn’t mean we should stop making resolutions; rather, we need to be smarter when developing them. Here are five tips that will help you set healthy New Year’s resolutions that you will see through to the finish!

1. Focus on What’s Most Important

It is easy to get carried away when setting New Year’s resolutions. From health and wellness goals to academic achievement and career advancements, the sky is the limit when thinking about ways you can improve your quality of life over the next 12 months. However, to see your goals through to the finish, it is best practice not to set more than you can manage. In fact, Entrepreneur and Lifehack suggest choosing only one habit or area of your life to focus on. This will allow you to spend the time and effort that is necessary to make real change. Then, once you’re successful, you can either build upon that change or direct your focus towards a new endeavor.

“Remember that real change takes time, effort and patience. According to research from University College London, it takes about 66 days to completely break an old habit, and it can take much longer to master something new.” – Entrepreneur.com

Once you become a seasoned goal setter, you may be able to take on more at once. One way to achieve this is to not limit yourself to one goal setting session for the entire year. Try setting fewer goals at the onset of the year and refreshing your intentions every quarter (or even once a month). While too many goals at once can result in burnout, a few new goals each quarter may provide just the vigor and motivation you need to get you to the finish line.

2. Set Goals with Intention

Many people set New Year’s resolutions, but are they the right resolutions? Your resolutions should align with your intentions. An intention is the meaning behind your actions. To see if your resolution and your intention align, try using the ‘three whys’. When you set a goal, ask yourself ‘why’ you selected this goal. Then, ask yourself ‘why’ to your response. Finally, ask ‘why’ a third time to the second response. Do your answers align with your original intention? Let’s consider this example:

A student’s intention is to get into his dream college. And so, he set a resolution to study for two hours every school night. Does this align? Let’s see:

1st Why: Why do you want to study 2 hours every school night?

Response: I want to get better grades.

2nd Why: Why do you want better grades?

Response: I want to improve my GPA?

3rd Why: Why do you want to improve your GPA?

Response: I want to be a competitive candidate for my dream college.

Does this align?  Maybe and maybe not. In this example, the student should research all the factors that College Admissions Officers consider when reviewing applications (ACT scores, essays, recommendation letters, extracurricular activities, etc.). He also should know what the average GPA is for students at his dream school and how his current GPA measures up. Finally, he should consider if there are specific subjects that he is struggling with that may have a bigger impact on his GPA than others. Would studying two hours on his own truly improve these grades, or would tutoring be more effective? This resolution may require further development.

“To the person who does not know where he wants to go there is no favorable wind.” — Seneca

By using the ‘three whys’, important questions will come to light and help you refine your resolution. When you dig deep and find the right goal, you are more likely to stick with it.

3. Make your Goals S.M.A.R.T.

Once you have found the right goal, you want to tighten it up by writing it in S.M.A.R.T. format. The S.M.A.R.T. acronym stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound.

To stay focused and motivated, your goal should be clear and specific. When drafting your goals, MindTools recommends asking yourself the five “W” questions: What do I want to accomplish, why is this goal important, who is involved, where is it located, and which resources or limits are involved? If you set a vague goal such as ‘I want to be healthier’, you may get frustrated trying to decide where to begin. 

“Stop setting goals. Goals are pure fantasy unless you have a specific plan to achieve them.” — Stephen Covey

Your goals should also be measurable. By adding a unit of measurement, you ensure you will know when you’ve accomplished your goal. You can measure your goal with a number (I want to lose 15 pounds), a date (By July 12th, I will be able to run 5 miles), or a percentage (By the end of the year, I’ll complete 80% of my online course).

Attainability is also important when deciding on your goals. Consider your time and resources when choosing your New Year’s resolutions. If there is just not enough time in the day to get something done, edit your goal to make it more reasonable or chunk it into smaller ones that can be completed within your chosen timeframe. Don’t forget to also consider other factors as well, including cost and the amount of physical space required. 

Relevance ties into Tip # 1 and #2. Your goal must matter to you and align with your true intentions. Your goals should not only drive you forward—they should drive you forward in the right direction. Ask yourself if your goal will be worth the effort and if it is the right time to try and tackle it.

Finally, goals should be time bound, meaning they have an end date. While many New Year’s resolutions stretch across a full calendar year, remember that goals can be set quarterly, monthly, weekly, or even daily! However, if you do not achieve your goal by the end date, do not change the date. Rather, reflect and assess why you did not meet the target. Then, set a new goal that you can pursue after rectifying your shortcomings.   

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” —Confucius

4. Break Down Lofty Goals

Now that you’ve narrowed down your resolutions, aligned them with your intentions, and made them into S.M.A.R.T. goals, it is time to chunk them into manageable steps. This is where the ‘attainable’ piece of S.M.A.R.T. really comes into play. You do not achieve goals all at once—you work towards them slowly but effectively. Little by little, you can build habits and make progress.

“The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.” — Michelle Obama

If your resolution is to get more fit (with a S.M.A.R.T. goal of completing 200 weight training sessions by December 31st), your steps in January may be to: 1) purchase a weight set, 2) make a workout video playlist on YouTube, 3) register for personal training sessions at your gym, and 4) start with two weight training sessions a week. The following month, once you’ve learned weight training basics and mastered your form, you may up your sessions to 4 times a week and start adding a weekly yoga class to stretch and rest your muscles. In short, there are many different avenues you can take when breaking down your resolutions into action steps. When mapping out your plan, refer to the S.M.A.R.T. acronym and always stay true to your original intention.   

5. Manifest Using Imagery

We are nearly to the finish line! With intentional resolutions and a S.M.A.R.T. action plan, it is now time to manifest your success using imagery. That’s right, I am talking about a vision board! A vision board is a visual representation of your goals. Psychology Today writes, “A vision board is usually a collage of images that represent goals and dreams. It can include cut-out pictures from magazines and words that help inspire you to manifest your dreams and get where you want to go.” Vision boards help you imagine what success with your resolutions looks like. This serves as a motivational tool and a reminder of what’s to come if you stay focused and dedicated to your goals.

“Some of the world’s most influential thought leaders—Deepak Chopra, Gabrielle Bernstein, and Oprah, for starters—all agree: It’s wholly possible to turn your dreams into reality. It’s called manifestation. Well, that and hard work.” – Oprah Daily

To make a vision board, gather your inspiration. In other words, collect images and words that evoke a visual representation of your goals and collage them together onto one poster board. These can come from online printouts, magazine clippings, photographs, stickers, postcards, or any other materials that represent your goals. You can also create a digital vision board on your computer, phone, or tablet using Photoshop, Canva, or other graphic design tools. Once your vision board is complete, put it in a place where you will see it often, such as your bedroom wall or the desktop on your computer. This will keep your resolutions on your mind year-round.

CVC Goal Setting Tools

Are you ready to get started on your New Year’s resolutions? Cristal Victoria Consulting is here to get you on track! Here are the tools I recommend for those developing their New Year’s goals:

The Goal Setting Vision Bundle: Many people set goals, but are they setting the right goals? The Cristal Victoria Consulting (CVC) Vision Bundle guides individuals in setting SMART end goals that are personalized to get them where they want to be. The bundle includes the My Reality, My Legacy, and My Destiny activities.

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting Tools: This S.M.A.R.T. Goal set walks individuals through building S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timebound), and includes a blank template for recording up to 10 goals. The set can be used independently or as a planner insert with an existing system.

It is that time of year…

Have you ever suffered from goal fatigue? It is always around this time of year that my eyes and mind start wandering. The goalsetting gusto I had in January starts to fade and I begin thinking about the goals and planners I want next year. *Insert planner girl sigh here.*

As an avid goal setter and annual planner, I wondered what might be causing this goal fatigue. Why do I start thinking about the year ahead before I have completed my current goals? In this post, I identified some of the possible causes of goal fatigue. I also list some solutions that can help you beat goal fatigue once and for all!

What causes goal fatigue?

Comfortability

For annual planners, the start of autumn is an indication that the end of the current goal window is approaching. New Year’s resolutions set in January should be wrapping up in the new few months. Even though you’re proud of the valuable progress you have made so far, goals may not feel as sparkly and exciting after they have been your focus for the past 9 months. You may have even completed several of your yearly goals already, leaving yourself daydreaming about next steps.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say you have become bored with your goals…if you’ve chosen the right ones, they are still important to you. However, you may have become comfortable with your current goals. You’ve found your flow, been working on them awhile now, and know exactly how you’ll complete them by the end of year. There are pros and cons to this comfortability. On the positive end, you are on track to accomplish what you set out to do. On the other hand, you may feel a bit of goal fatigue and yearn for some big, new, scary goals that will help you take the next step.

Planner Launch Season

In addition to comfortability, you have a million planner launches to worry about. Fall is planner launch season for many stationary companies. Ads promoting new planner collections are everywhere—they might as well be tattooed on your eyelids! There is no escape from the sneak peeks, cover reveals, and new product buzz across all social media platforms. Now, it is a known fact that consumerism has been flagged as an issue in the planner community for some time, but that is a problem for another post. It is, however, worth mentioning, that seeing beautiful new products online can have you forgetting your current planner and clicking ‘add to cart’ just like *snap* that.

How can you beat goal fatigue?

Don’t Fight Yourself

I recently discovered the best way to beat goal fatigue: don’t fight your ideas! That’s right. If you find yourself thinking of possible goals for 2022, grab a pen and start jotting down your ideas. Thinking ahead is not a distraction. Rather, it can help you make valuable connections between the hard work you put in this year and the things you want to do next.  This can in turn add some fuel to your tank when it comes to wrapping up the calendar year.

Quarterly Refreshes

Doing a quarterly refresh with your goals will help you keep them updated, relevant, and exciting. You may choose to add goals to your list during these refreshes or edit existing goals as you hone in on what truly matters. Either way, allowing yourself to make necessary adjustments along the way can keep you dialed in on the present.

Did someone say, ‘no spend’?

You may think it is unrealistic to have a ‘no spend’ during launch season, but hear me out! New products are not the cure to goal fatigue. It is easy to let excitement get the better of you when new products are released by your favorite brands; however, waiting until November or December to purchase your planner may be the best option. Before purchasing a planner, it is important to ensure that it will effectively meet all your needs. How do you know what your needs are if you have yet to reflect on the current year?  For example, if you struggled tracking your 2021 fitness goals using a bullet journal, a more structured hourly planner may turn out to be a more suitable choice. Avoid ordering products you may not need to fill a void that a good goal refresh or brainstorming session could rectify.

End the year strong

There is no denying that an autumn lull often precedes the excitement of new year goal setting. This goal fatigue is common, but it shouldn’t stop you from ending the year strong! Refresh your current goals, ensure that you are still on track to reach them, and have fun brainstorming your next steps. Think about the planners and tools that will get you where you want to be next year, but if you have any hesitation, hold off on buying them just yet. You may decide to make a change!

I hope you found this post helpful! Do you have any other tips and tricks for beating goal fatigue? Share them with me on Instagram @cristalvictoria.

If there is one thing a planner should not skip, it is taking time each week to plan out the basics.  Why take the time to do this? Planning at the onset of each week can help you stick to a routine, build healthy habits and memory, manage your time, and progress on your goals! In 5 easy steps, you can take control of your time and ensure that it is being well spent on the things that matter most to you.

Planner Tip: These steps work best in an hourly planner—either paper or digital. If you are looking for a great hourly planner, you can use code CRISTAL10 to save 10% on Passion Planner. For digital planners, I recommend Google Calendar.

1. Time-Block Commitments

The first step to take when planning your week is to block out necessary commitments. This would include your work schedule, your children’s sports, lessons, and activities, and any other personal or professional appointments and meetings you have planned for the week. To designate these time blocks, you can outline or frame them, use a color-coding system, label the start time and draw a downward arrow to the ending time, or find any other system that works for you.

2. Make Time for Big Rocks

After your mandatory commitments are blocked, scan your remaining availability. Where your schedule allows, make time for your big rocks (or the other items that are most important to you). This may include quality family time,  date nights, workouts, church, creative projects, or self-care. This is an important second step. It is crucial to make time for these rocks before you fill your schedule with less important tasks that could have been done another time. You can use the same method as step one to designate these time blocks or try something new!

3. Add Important Dates

Once your big rocks are squared away, check your monthly calendar to ensure that you have identified all important dates occurring that week, such as birthdays, school festivities, and holidays. There may not always be a special date to add, but building the habit of checking weekly will keep you from forgetting anything.

4. Add Weekly To-Do’s

To-do lists may not the most fun part of planning your week, but they are an important part of adulting. Items on a to-do list are not big rocks, but are important and must get done. Weekly to-do list items could include calling a plumber, getting your car detailed, grocery shopping, cleaning, or home projects. You may also need another to-do list for work-related tasks. As you start your week, do not sacrifice ‘big rock time’ for your weekly to-do’s. Keep your rock time as sacred as your mandatory commitments.

5. Bonus: Add Weekly Goals

If you stop your weekly planning session after step four, you are already set up for a successful, productive week. However, you can give your week a supercharge by adding in weekly goals. Tie these weekly goals to your yearly goals to ensure you are making meaningful progress over time. Examples of weekly goals are organizing your monthly budget, trying two new healthy recipes, going on three morning runs, or reading a chapter of your book each night. If you do decide to list one or more weekly goals,  be sure that they are S.M.A.R.T. goals that can be easily tracked.

Following these simple steps will leave you feeling organized and energized! You will also have some peace of mind knowing that everything is scheduled and nothing will be forgotten. If you have not tried planning out your week before, let me know how these steps work for you!