As we begin the year 2021 and you set your path to reach the goals you set for this year, I invite you to think about the kind of person you want to be as a result of pursuing these goals.

In 2019 and 2020 I had a goal to lose 40 pounds and get my health back on track. The strategies to reach these goals were what you might expect. Eat healthy and exercise, manage my stress, get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, etc. But as I began to take steps to improve my health my desire to become a healthy person strengthened immensely. My health began to be a core value of mine and making healthy decisions strengthened my commitment to be the healthiest person I could be.

As my identity of being a healthy person strengthened, so did my ability to resist tempting sugary foods that didn’t align with my healthy eating plan. As my identity of a healthy person strengthened, so did my ability to stay ridiculously consistent with my workout schedule and as I write this blog I have worked out every day since October 13, 2020. My identity as a healthy person became the core driver to making healthy decisions and creating new healthy habits and breaking unhealthy habits. My actions reflected the person I most wanted to be: healthy.

This strategy of identity and getting crystal clear on the kind of person you want to be is an excellent motivator to stick to your goals in 2021. Whether it’s a health goal, a professional goal, or a relationship goal, reaching that goal is not as important in the end as the person you will become as a result of striving towards that goal.

James Clear writes about this idea beautifully in his book Atomic Habits. In it he says:

"Improvements are only temporary until they become part of who you are.

-The goal is not to read a book, the goal is to become a reader.

-The goal is not to run a marathon, the goal is to become a runner.

-The goal is not to learn an instrument, the goal is to become a musician. 

This year, focus on the identity you want to build."

I couldn’t have said it better. Right now look at the goals you made or New Years Resolutions you set and write next to them the kind of person you want to be. Say affirmations to yourself around this identity. 

Think about the person you want to be this year and remind yourself of this identity throughout your daily life. 

I think you’ll find this as a great strategy to help you reach your goals.