Every year we make a list of resolutions… and every year, we break them. What went wrong? Do we simply lack motivation, or are we doing our New Year goal-setting wrong?

Life coaches say that people often set unclear, unrealistic goals with no specific plan of action. At first, you feel motivated and excited. But if you don’t know how to implement the goals or incorporate them into your everyday life, you end up feeling overwhelmed and eventually give up. Let us help you with SMART goals and how to acheive them with the appropriate steps. Additionally, we'll explain how a car title pawn could help you get started.

Don’t fall into that trap again. Use these tips for New Year goal setting and take the first step to finally creating the life you want.

Tips For Setting New Year Goals

1. Set SMART Goals

SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. While it was first used in business management, it’s just as applicable to any personal goal.

Let’s say you want to lose weight. “Go on a diet and exercise” is too vague and has no way of measuring your progress beyond obsessing over the weighing scale. But a SMART goal would be “I will do 10,000 steps five days a week and lower my carb intake to lose 2 pounds every month.”

As you can see, a SMART goal is clear and provides a plan of action and a method of measuring your progress.

2. It’s Okay To Start Small

Sometimes, setting smaller and achievable goals can help you build the momentum you need. For example, if you want to save more money this year, start with one concrete and specific change: “I bring my own coffee and lunch to work instead of getting takeout.”

When you successfully stick to that goal, it can create a snowball effect that will inspire you to make other and bigger changes.

3. Find Extrinsic And Intrinsic Motivation

When you do your New Year goal setting, look for a way to incorporate both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. This can help you refocus and recharge whenever you feel discouraged.

Extrinsic motivation is fueled by external rewards or positive outcomes: money, promotion, praise, attention, etc. Intrinsic motivation is when you derive satisfaction from the activity itself.

For example, your goal may be to get certification through online workshops. List the extrinsic motivation (you can get a promotion or pay increase,) and intrinsic motivation (you are building confidence and making new friends).

4. Include Some Flexibility In Your Plan

Your New Year goal setting shouldn’t be so rigid that you can’t adjust that you take an all-or-nothing approach.

Using the example above, if you can’t do 10,000 steps because of bad weather or a really hectic day at work, then give yourself permission to adjust your goal or method. Maybe you can do a short cardio workout instead… or if you skip the workout for a whole week, forgive yourself and start fresh today.

5. Visualize Your Goals

During your New Year goal setting, don’t just write down your goals in your diary and then put them away. Write them down and post them in a place where you can see them every day.

You can make vision boards or write down key words on post-its and put them on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror. You can look for motivational posts and either print them out or make them your phone or desktop screen saver.

The point is that every day, you’re reminded about your goals and why they’re important to you. It gives you that “big picture” that can push you forward when you’re distracted or unmotivated.

6. Share Your Goals With Other People

Telling someone you trust about your goals can be very empowering.

First, actually articulating your goals to somebody else can help you clarify what you want and how you will do it. Second, you become accountable for them—you’ve said it, now there’s no backing out!

Aside from telling a friend, look for a forum or other community support group for people who share the same goals. You can support and encourage each other, share tips and experiences, and safely vent whenever you hit a roadblock or are having a bad day.

7. Use Technology

Look for an app that can help you track your progress or give you resources. You can use a general habit-tracking app, or specific apps for your particular goal (i.e, money management apps, fitness apps, calorie counters, etc).

Make A Backup Plan, Too!

New Year goal setting can help you plan your life and create the life you want. However, you can’t plan everything. Financial emergencies can strike anytime, and you may not have enough savings to cover all the expenses.

So, aside from setting goals, you should also know where to go if you suddenly need to raise emergency money. One option is to get a car title pawn, a type of loan where you use your vehicle title as collateral, from Georgia Auto Pawn, Inc. You just need to own the vehicle outright and have a lien-free title registered under your name.

You can qualify even if you have bad credit, and you don’t have to present proof of income either.

A car title pawn can help pay for large emergency expenses like house or car repairs, medical bills, or unexpected travel. You can borrow up to $15,000, and the entire application process can take as little as 30 minutes. You don’t even need a lot of requirements to get a title pawn: just the vehicle title, government-issued ID, and a vehicle inspection.

Inquire About A Car Title Pawn Now

Setting goals is a fun and healthy way to go into a new year. But even with financial goals, emergencies still happen. And when they do, remember that a title pawn is an option for you! Want to find out more about how to get a title pawn and whether you qualify? Fill out the form and our loan representatives can explain the process personally.

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.