Last year, I read a statistic that changed my evening routine; the statistic was that flossing can lengthen your life by up to 6 years. The bacteria in plaque at the gumline contributes to periodontal disease but worse, is linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
All my life I had known that flossing was good for me. My dentists had been telling me that for years. I would floss diligently in the 2 weeks before my cleanings but the slack off again. But, when I read that statistic, I knew I had to take action.
So, I made a goal with my accountability group. It was simple: I will floss once every day. Every Friday, I checked in with my accountability group – did I do it or did I not? It wasn’t the only thing on my goal list that quarter that was a new habit. Everything else was a ‘tablestake’ (working out, eating healthy, business goals). By only having one new thing in my routine to accomplish and focus on, it didn’t overwhelm my me.
Jack Canfield in his book “The Success Principles” suggests only working on 4 new habits for the entire year and choosing one per quarter. He says, “Research shows that if you repeat a behavior for 13 weeks -whether it is meditating for 20 minutes a day, flossing your teeth, reviewing your goals, or writing thank-you letters to your clients – it will be yours for life.”
So, in addition to making your goals SMART (see definition below), consider chunking up your goals into bite sized, manageable chunks adding only **one new habit** per quarter. This will give you a better chance at success.
As for me, 1 year later, I’m still flossing every night. This quarter, my new habit will be to have 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. So, look over your goals that you posted about on this post and ask yourself: “Are they smart?” and “Which ONE new thing would I like to tackle this quarter?” The rest can wait until Quarters 2, 3 and 4.
To give yourself a better chance at success for your goals, they should be:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time Oriented
A generic: “Get Healthy” goal is none of these. Breaking down “Get Healthy” into something that is SMART looks like:
I will lose 10 pounds by April 15th. To do this, I will work out 5 times per week, eat a salad daily for lunch 5 times a week and limit my wine intake to 4 glasses per week.
This is so funny because one of my many New Years resolutions is to floss every night. I've been good so far 🙂
One habit per quarter? Definitely sounds reasonable! I picked up 2 new habits last year that I've struggled for so long while living in New York.
I can't wait to draw up new healthy habits for 2010 –
Thanks AM for the post 🙂 It truly inspires
Nah, just an example. I'm on a weight maintenance schedule. =) I agree though – flossing can get addictive!
Little Gems, Accountability Groups ROCK! They can totally change your ability to set and complete goals.
Nice AM!
I hope the losing 20 pounds was just an example, because you look perfect as you are!
I too started flossing….it's kinda like drinking water….once you get hooked on it, you want to do it!
Thanks for yet another encouraging post! Love them! XO Heidi Outre Beauty Bistro
I have broken down each of my goals that very way, for the first time. Hey, maybe i am finally on to something
6 years?! wow
an accountability group would make it harder to jump out on your new yrs res. as well- food for thought (after which you should floss)
I do the SAME thing! I floss a week or so before the dentist and then hardly floss unless there is something in my teeth.
My dentist appointment was 12/22 and I haven't flossed since then!
I'm gonna be better after reading your blog post.
Thanks for the info!