How to Set a Goal... And Keep It!

Eleven-year-old Sarah made a New Year's resolution to get along with her sister. For a few days in January, Sarah worked hard at being nice to her sister and avoiding arguments. But by the time winter break had ended, Sarah and her sister were back to fighting like cats and dogs!

Like Sarah, a lot of people... kids and adults alike... start the New Year working hard on their resolution. But as time goes on, we tend to forget about or lose interest in our big resolutions for the year!

Luckily, there is no "right" or "wrong" time to set a goal. You can set a new one right now! And with some tips on how to set goals and how to work on them, you will be more likely to succeed!

1. Set a specific, measurable goal. One of the reasons Sarah's goal didn't work out was because it was not very specific or measurable. She wanted to get along better with her sister, but she needed to think of the steps she would have to take in order to do that. For instance, Sarah might decide to spend half an hour a day with her sister, doing something that her sister enjoys.

2. Set a time limit for the goal. Sarah' next mistake was that she expected to keep her goal for the rest of the year, or even for the rest of her life! That was a pretty tall order! When setting a new goal, it's a good idea to start out small. You might decide that you're going to work on her goal every day for two weeks, one week, or even for just a day!

3. Put it in writing. To make things official, grab a sheet of paper and write down your goal: "I will say three kind things to my sister every day for one week." Sign your name to it, and hang it someplace where you will easily see it every day. This will help keep your goal at the front of your mind!

4. Keep track of your progress. Make a chart, or use a calendar, to mark the days that you worked on your goal. Some people also choose to keep a journal and write each day about how their work on the goal went. There's even a Website, "Joe's Goals," at http://www.joesgoals.com, where you can chart you goal progress online!

5. Plan a reward. If you are able to complete your goal during the time limit you set for yourself, you deserve a reward! Plan the reward ahead of time, so you have some extra motivation while you're working on your goal. You may decide you're going to go see a movie with your best friend, or you'll splurge on that new video game you've been wanting. You might also want to ask someone else to help you out with your reward. Maybe your mom will make your favorite dinner, or your older brother will take you out for ice cream your friend out with you for ice cream!

So, you set a specific and measurable goal. You wrote it down, and charted your progress. You managed to complete your goal, and you earned that reward you were looking forward to! What now?

6. Start over. Keep the same goal you had before and just up the ante a little bit! Instead of saying three kind things a day, Sarah may decide to shoot for five kind things a day! Or instead of working on it for a week, she may aim for two weeks!

If you keep working on your goal, little by little, eventually you won't need the goal anymore. It will have become a habit... something you do without even thinking about it!

So, what are you waiting for? Forget about waiting for next New Year's Day to make a new resolution. Start working on your new goal today!