Early in January, we shared the difference between goals and resolutions and encouraged readers to set some reachable goals for 2019. Right about now, chances are you’re either making great progress on those goals or on the verge of abandoning them. If it’s the latter, don’t be too disillusioned with yourself. We’ve all been there at one time or another; it’s part of human nature. Setting goals is the easy part—sticking to them is the challenge. The key to staying on top of your goals is to exercise discipline, remember it’s a matter of developing new good habits, and keep revisiting your goals throughout the year. Let’s explore four tips for helping you stay focused on your 2019 goals.

Remember Why You Set the Goal

Don’t just recall what you want to achieve; think about what prompted you to set the goal in the first place. Your “why” is your motivation, and that’s what we’re looking for here. You know what you want—you just have to reclaim your motivation from time to time. When you’re tempted to slack off, refocus your attention on why you want to reach this goal. It will give you the extra push you need to stay on track.

Track Your Progress

One of our earlier recommendations for goal-setting was to set up “markers” or milestones throughout the year for you to measure your progress. Stop and evaluate where you are on your timeline; have you reached your first milestone yet? If you’re behind, don’t berate yourself and don’t get discouraged. The idea here is to keep the goal top-of-mind, so you keep working toward it and don’t forget about it.

Find an Accountability Partner

If you haven’t already done so, find someone you trust, share your goals with them and ask them to follow up with you. Just verbalizing your goals to someone else helps make you somewhat accountable, but if you ask them to hold you to account, you’ll have an even better support system.

Don’t Give Up – Refresh Your Focus

Most importantly—don’t give up, even if you have already fallen behind your own expectations. The year is still young, so now is the perfect time to remind yourself of your goals and refresh your sense of focus. Keep revisiting your goals throughout the year, and you’ll be well on your way to a successful and productive 2019.

Keep thinking about how rewarding it will be and how great you’ll feel about yourself when you look back on what you’ve accomplished when 2020 is on the horizon.