“I don’t set new year resolutions anymore – they never work, anyway.”
Sound familiar to you?
Too many people set right resolutions the wrong way. They mean well, but without setting and sticking to their resolutions the right way, their chance of success is greatly diminished.
Using the following tips, this article will show you how your realistic, defined resolutions can become a reality by having a plan of action, committing to them, staying accountable to them and kicking them into action now.
#1 – Keep them realistic, defined, and bite-sized.
Too often, we set resolutions that are unrealistic, vague and too “large” for our current abilities. While our long-term goals should in no way be confined to our present abilities, new year resolutions are different. One year is not long-term.
Be very specific with your resolutions, but be especially careful to keep them realistic. Make sure your resolutions are the right “size” for you. For most, the foundation to successful new year resolutions are clear, defined, bite-sized goals.
On keeping your resolutions clear & defined:
Observe the difference between these two resolutions:
“I want to lose lots of weight in 2008″ and “I want to lose 30 pounds by the end of 2008 by exercising five times a week for at least 30 minutes and reducing my meat, fat, dairy and sugar intake.”
One is clear, defined and specific. The other is not. One has a plan of action for completing and achieving the resolution. The other does not. Which one do you think will be more likely to succeed?
On keeping your resolutions realistic and bite-sized:
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Look at your resolutions from a clear, logical, realistic point of view. Are they want you really want to achieve in this year? Are the defined and “do-able”, or are they vague and larger than life?
Keep them realistic. Keep them small, but powerful. Take your resolutions in baby steps, not elephant stomps. They are NOT long-term goals, but short-term commitments to change.
#2 – Have a plan of action.
The easiest way to design your plan of action is to ask yourself the following questions about each resolution:
Why do I want to achieve this resolution?
Write it down and keep it next to your resolution – It will serve as reminder and source of motivation when you slip off track. When the going gets tough(er), you need to be able to answer the simple question you will inevitably ask yourself: Remind me again – Why am I doing this?
What daily steps do I need to take to achieve this resolution?
Start brainstorming. How are you going to achieve this on the small scale? Maybe you need to get to bed earlier so you’ll have more time in your day. Maybe you need cut out your snacking-between-meals habit. Whatever those small, everyday baby steps might be, write them down.
When it comes to my resolution, what roadblocks do I anticipate ahead of time, and how can I avoid or overcome them?
Prepare for the worst. Anticipate your pitfalls ahead of time so when/if you find yourself facing them, you’re not caught unprepared. Expect people to be skeptical of your ability to meet your resolutions, but don’t let that discourage you.
#3 – Commit to them.
Many of us have a simple, often unknown desire to avoid commitment. However, when it comes to your new year resolutions, you need to be committed to them. If not, you won’t have the fueling desire to see them through. So how do you commit to your new year resolutions?
1. Write them down.
Commit them to paper.
2. Keep them in a visible place.
Post that paper in a place you look at everyday – like your fridge, for example.
3. Check back to them often.
Track your progress. Remind yourself daily.
4. Make them public.
The pressure is on when it’s not just you and your cat that know about your resolutions. You’re more likely to put more effort into achieving them when you know that people will ask how you’re doing with your resolutions. Don’t be afraid of failure!
#4 – Get accountable for them.
Tell someone (or ten) what you plan to achieve in the coming year. Don’t be afraid of the fact that you “might not” achieve it – by telling others what you hope to achieve, you’re making yourself accountable to them. This accountability will keep you more likely to stick to what you said you’d do – use it to your advantage.
The concept of accountability is simple: Ask a close friend to periodically ask you how you’re doing with your resolutions. Knowing that someone will ask you about your progress will keep you more likely to work on your resolutions so you’ll have progress to “report back” with.
Better yet, partner up with a friend who also has new year resolutions and be accountable to each other! It’s a great way to grow closer with your friends.
You can read more about accountability and why it works here.
#5 – Put your plan of action into action.
It’s one thing to set resolutions, but its quite another to put them into action. Get started right away. Don’t wait for a good time – there never will be one, so start now.
The first step is always among the hardest, but with every step, forward progress becomes easier and easier. The key to creating successful resolutions is to turn them into habits – a second nature to you.
If you never planned to set resolutions for this coming year, don’t be afraid to start now – just because you’ve never kept or achieved any in the past is no indicator to what you can in the future. If you go about setting and working towards your resolutions in a smart way using the above techniques, there is nothing but your decisions stopping you.
Need a little extra encouragement? Leave a comment with your resolutions for this coming year, and I’ll periodically check back with you to see how you’re doing!
