6.5 Ways to Break Your Mold in 2013

I've heard it all. I don't need no stinking resolutions. I make my own things happen. I'm finally going to get fit this year, just after loading up on goodies over the holidays. This will be the year to rid myself of all my credit card debt. If this is you listen up and ask yourself if you are still on task? This is about the time of the year when most people turn back to their old habits.

Whether you are the type of person to make a New Year's resolution or not, everyone should have goals. Establishing goals for the day, week, month, quarter and/or year can make a major difference in your life. Setting them is the first step and then powering through them is where champions are made.

What are you going to do to stay committed?

Breaking your mold is how you will achieve growth. This mold can be anything from a habit that you want to stop or a more dramatic evolution into a new better you. If you do not set goals, decide not to make changes or simply change things around the edges of something that's already broken, you can sure count on staying within your mold. You will be the same person you are today unless someone else's changes happen to overlap with your own. Even still you will not get the benefit of shifting your own life.

I'm not an expert, but I have the will and determination to evolve. I live my life in a state of constant motion to get better, stronger, smarter, more faithful and cast the same shadow with others. So here are my 6.5 guiding steps to breaking that mold and making incremental progress everyday.

1. Make Two Lists.
An essential step in achieving your goals is recognizing where you stand today. The best way to accomplish that is to build two lists which contain your strengths/accomplishments and areas for improvement/tasks not yet completed. Be honest with yourself. Also be ready to spend enough time here developing a list that is comprehensive. Set aside time for yourself to develop the list and go back in time as far as you want. You can even plan for the future as far as you want. The point is to be balanced in your approach and truthful with your wins and opportunities. Having two lists will be a foundation for success going forward.

2. Simplify Your Goals.
From your two lists begin to select things that you want to carry out. Depending on how long your list is, you may need to categorize your list so you can focus. Prioritize what's most important in your life and what will have the greatest impact. Do this by listing upfront what are the major areas that are important for you in life. For example my key life categories include: God, Family, Friends, Community and Self Achievement. With your key life categories you can add key strengths and opportunities into your goals. Prioritize them by importance and impact in your life using a rating system like (High, Medium, Low). Establish a balanced list that have simple goals that can be accomplished within a reasonable timeframe. Using a system like S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) can help put your goals into perspective. You don't want to start out with goals that will depress you because it's no way to get there. Be smart, keep it simple.

3. Crawl. Walk. Jog. Run.
With a list of S.M.A.R.T. goals start your journey. Be comfortable with slow and steady progress. It's quite fine to make gains slowly and to get into a rhythm over time. Once you have started to make some progress pick up the pace. Increase your goals or be tougher on yourself. The key here is to build confidence and momentum. Do not be complacent with your progress.

4. Measure.
What gets measured or tracked gets done. If you're truly committed to achieving your goals tracking your progress is critical. Get into the habit of tracking on a consistent basis. Start slowly even with tracking to ensure that you can keep up with your activities. For you this could mean checking in weekly to see how you've done. As you progress, you could advance to a daily tracker as you work on your goals. Whether you go digital with a smartphone ToDo system or just jot down a log with pen & paper; measure your activities.

5. Get Social.
We live in a world where you can share anything with the world with the ease of a click or touch. Whether you are a social online butterfly or simply have a few close offline friends consider making your goals public. Here are a few easy ways to get started: 1) Post your goals on your refrigerator, 2) Post your goals and your progress on your online social networks (FB, Google +, Twitter, So.cl, etc.), 3) Create a blog to track/share your progress, 4) Share with a trusted group of friends, co-workers and/or church members. Be creative, just don't discount the power of positive peer pressure.

6. Stay Supported.
Who's got your back when times get tough? Do you have someone that can support you? Ask them to help you. Enlist them to keep you on track and challenge you to achieve your goals. If you're like many people, you may lack a strong support system. Start to grow your support system by taking a good look at who you keep close as friends and whether they are truly there for you. To be successful sometimes it takes leaving your comfort zone and making new friends. Look for online support or interest groups that could supplement your group of influencers. There is a free group out there for most of the goals that you likely have on your list, but you have to be willing to open up yourself to new people. Ask questions and get the help you need. Having a strong support system can tip the odds of success in your favor. Look for opportunities to stay supported to increase your chances of success.

6.5 Celebrate & Watch Your Shadow.

Finally you have to celebrate your wins no matter how small. Accomplishing your goals is a bar that should feel good and you deserve to congratulate yourself. Do your own happy dance or treat yourself in a way that makes you feel great about your accomplishments. Another excellent way to see the benefits of your wins is to cast a long shadow and track it. This means watching how your actions have impacted others and making a positive influence on their lives. Paving the way for other people's success is a sure way to give you pride and build your own strength. Cast your shadow, make new goals and make peace with each new glorious step you take.