TOP 10 REASONS TO HAVE A GANG WHEN YOU SET AND GO AFTER YOUR GOALS

Four years ago, I was terrified of riding a bike alone in traffic.  I found and joined a diabetes prevention group at the local YMCA where each of us set small goals at the weekly meetings.  One week, my goal was to ride my bike alone two blocks to the local neighborhood park.   I ended up riding much further, all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge Park and back to my home.  I don't think I even knew the traffic rules!  I was so scared that I was shaking when I got back.  I've ridden my bike most days since then, and I learned something important:  It's a lot easier to set and achieve challenging goals when you are part of a larger group.  

A lot of folks don't make New Year's resolutions because they are fearful of failure.  Personally, I think it's a set-up for discouragement to go after something that may have been hard for you in the past and then expect to stick to that goal.  Why knock your head against the same wall again and again? When you identify what you would like to accomplish in the coming year, the next step should be to find one or more groups of folks who have similar goals.  Here's 10 reasons why:

1. The other people in a group can provide perspective on both your struggles and strengths, which is incredibly valuable when you hit internal or external stumbling blocks.

2. A group, with its diverse set of minds, can work together to brainstorm solutions to your challenges.  A group can often come up with an idea that a person could not come up with alone.

3.  A group can help to hold you accountable in the places where you want to give up, back down, and hide under the covers.

4.  Within a group, you can often find an accountability partner- someone you can check in with in person, or via email or phone.

5. You might make new friends!

6.  People can offer perspective through humor when you hit hard times.

7.  It feels great to contribute to someone else's success!

8.  You can be inspired by someone else's breakthroughs.

9.  You can inspires others by sharing your own successes and breakthroughs.

10.  As Barbara Sher, author of Wishcraft, famously said "Isolation is the dream-killer." We humans are designed to go through life with the support and company of other humans.

Where has group participation helped you achieve an important goal?  Feel free to share by leaving a comment!