3 Ways To Make New Year’s Resolutions Stick

Surveys Show That 80% Of People Give Up On Their New Year’s Resolutions Before February. Here’s How You Can Be Part Of The 20% That Doesn’t.

Introduction

Every year, as the clock strikes midnight and a new year begins, millions, or even billions of people tell themselves this will be the greatest year of their life.

This year, they will go to the gym 5 times a week, meditate every day and start their own business. But let’s be honest. These resolutions are as long-lasting as a house of cards on a windy day. Our goals are ambitious but rarely fulfilled.

Overview

1. Reflect On This Year
2. Break Them Down
3. Hold Yourself Accountable

Reflect On This Year

• What was your greatest achievement?
• What was the lowest point this year?
• Who has inspired you?
• What lessons have you learnt?

Looking back on the last 12 months, what needs to change? Who do you want to become?

Instead of tossing out a resolution like ‘go to the gym 5 times a week’, ask yourself why you weren’t able to that this year. What can you do next year to make that goal more achievable?

Perhaps instead of going to the gym, you can start playing a sport, or going on a short jog in the morning. Sometimes rethinking goals and making new ones is the difference between ditching and achieving them.

Break Them Down

Say goodbye to vague aspirations like ‘read every day’. For any goal, try to think of these two factors:

• Where exactly will I read (e.g. on the couch)
• When exactly will I find time to read (e.g. 30 minutes before bed)

‘I will read on the couch for 30 minutes before bed every day’ is so much more specific than simply ‘read every day’. This makes your goal a lot easier to remember and execute.

This is especially important when it comes to resolutions that have many steps/aspects, like starting a business. In this case, you would need to think about what business you would start, the logistics of starting one, how you can make time for it etc.

Without knowing the specifics, it is extremely easy to go half a year without touching your New Year’s resolutions.

Hold Yourself Accountable

Respect yourself and your goals. If you say you will read every day, do it. If you say you will start a business, do it. Don’t be full of empty promises to yourself.

Here are some strategies to hold yourself accountable.

Make Progress Visible

Put a tick in 1 out of 365 boxes on a paper you stick on your wall, each time you complete the task. Celebrate your milestones, like reading every day for an entire month to encourage yourself.

Do It With A Friend

Remind and encourage each other to stick to your goal. You could even put some money on the line (Whoever quit would owe the other person xx amount) to make the stakes higher.

Don’t Miss 2 Days in a Row

Life can get in the way of your goal. That’s okay. Don’t let one day turn into a week, that turns into a month. Get back to the habit as soon as possible, so you don’t fall into the trap of procrastinating endlessly.

Conclusion

Remember, a lot can change in a year. This year may be the greatest year of your life, but you have to make it so.

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