So many people view the New Year as the clean slate upon which they will build resolutions and goals. It is a wonderful concept… but how many people do you know who give up their new year resolutions? Are you one of those people? Where are you now with your goal attainment?

If you find yourself falling behind on the goal train, check out this list of ideas to get you back on track to finish the second-half of the year strong!

Identify an improvement you want to make in your life. Once it is on paper, apply the theory of SMART goals.

1. Make the goal Specific. Example: I want to lose fat.
2. Make the goal Measurable. Example: I want to lose 10 pounds of fat.
3. Make the goal Attainable. Do you have the ability to lose 10 pounds of fat? What will you have to do in order to achieve that?
4. Make the goal Realistic. Example: Instead of saying I want to lose 40 pounds. Try saying, I want to lose 10 pounds of fat. This is much easier for you to get your arms around mentally (10 pounds vs. 40 pounds) and increases the likelihood that you will be successful.
5. Put the goal on a Timeline. This creates a sense of accountability and also allows you to plan your attack more effectively.

Your Final SMART goal may look something like this: I want to lose 10 pounds of fat by December 1, 2011.

Now that you have your goal, set out to achieve it. Ask yourself these key questions:

• How will I feel when I achieve this goal?
• What is standing in the way of my achievement right now?
• What can I do to support myself in the achievement of this goal?
• How will I deal with setbacks as well as accomplishments during my path?

By giving yourself these tools and guidelines BEFORE starting the transformation, you will have a higher probability of success because you have already broken down the potential for failure. Post these in a visible place so you can refer to it while working on the goal.

Here is to the second half of the New Year and all the possibilities (and probabilities) 2011 can still bring to you!