Staying Motivated Through The New Year

The start of a new decade brings new resolutions, goals, and mindsets.

But, studies found that the majority of resolutions fail by January 12th. That’s right – not even two weeks into the new year is when most commitments begin to fade.

This is because after taking some time off of work to relax and enjoy the holiday season, many people have a hard time getting back into the swing of things. They feel that January and February seem to drag out and the cold, dreary, weather doesn’t help with motivation.

Staying motivated isn’t always easy – but it’s necessary in order to achieve your career goals. In the first initial months of the year, your work habits and mindset set the tone for the rest of the year. Check out some tips that help keep you motivated at work through the year and achieve success.

What’s Your “Why”

When setting a goal, there’s normally a larger purpose associated with it. The most successful and resilient people are motivated by greater purpose. Maybe you’re looking for a promotion, which would take away some financial stress at home. 

Typically once the excitement of the new year fades, we return back into our everyday work routine and dust aside our ambitions. To combat this rut, start your day with a constant reminder of your “why”. This could be a reflection, a note, an image, etc. It’s easy to get caught up on the everyday chaos of life and forget the value your goal provides.

Add Something New 

To avoid getting caught into a monotonous routine, add something new to your day. Trying a new technique, strategy, or tool keeps you energized and motivated at work. 

Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or customer success, consider adding variety into your communication methods. Rather than resorting to phoning and emailing, start sending personalized video messages for prospecting, follow ups, meeting confirmations, and thank yous. Platforms like Covideo make it easy to start engaging your audience and cutting through the noise. Personalized video is a new tool for both you and your audience, so everyone will feel revived by something different.

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Set SMART Goals

Setting unrealistic expectations were a contributing factor as to why resolutions failed. Following the SMART method when goal setting helps define clear and attainable tasks. This method incorporates the following characteristics:

Specific – Your goal should include a who, what, where, when and why. A vague goal would be “I want to close more sales opportunities.” Whereas, a SMART goal would be, “I want to hit my target of XX dollars in monthly recurring revenue each month so that I can grow in my career and work towards a promotion.”

Measurable – In order to track your progress, you need to be able to measure your success against something. Think: I want to schedule 20 meetings a month, close 10 deals, bring in 5 new business opportunities, or reach $1,000 in monthly recurring revenue. With all of these statements, you’ll be able to measure your progress. 

Achievable: Your goal should be challenging, but not an impossible task. You want to set yourself up for success and make sure you have what you need to accomplish this task. 

Realistic: Your goal should be necessary, and practical. It should be within your reach, and not too over the top or irrelevant to what you wish to accomplish. Given the time and circumstances, your goal should be achievable. 

Timely: Set deadlines for when you want to achieve this goal. If you want to reach this goal month after month, state that from the beginning. Or, if your goal is long-term, set benchmarks of what your status should look like 3 months in, 6 months in, and so on. This holds you accountable and keeps you on track.

Celebrate the Wins

And when things go your way, big or small, celebrate them! Reward yourself for achievements large and small to keep you striving for your end goal. 

Getting Started

We’re entering a digital decade where if we aren’t motivated to keep up, then we’ll be left behind. That first step starts with video. Connect with a Covideo coach to learn more about the product and create a strategy that will help you crush your goals for the new year.