New Year’s resolutions get a bad rap. “I’d rather set goals,” some sniff. “These are totally bogus,” others claim. “We shouldn’t have to wait until Jan. 1 to improve ourselves.”
Spoilsports.
I LOVE New Year’s resolutions. I love the idea of starting with a fresh slate. Every year, my resolutions fill me with anticipation, optimism and…well…resolve. THIS will be the year I do (fill in the blank). Or multiple fill in the blanks.
That being said, 92% of people break their New Year’s resolutions. And the main reason why New Year’s resolutions don’t work is because the person making generally goes overboard. That’s perfectly OK as a starting point — a mind dump is a good thing. Putting it all down on paper is the first step. Go for it!
That’s the fun part. The next part is putting all those great ideas into resolutions – yeah, OK, goals – that will get you where you want to be 12 months from now.
Creating New Year’s resolutions that work
1. Set only three goals. Take that 16-page mind-dump list and let’s drill down.
- Make connections. Maybe you have a lot that are related to physical well-being – weight loss, exercise, stress reduction, etc., which could be lumped under the category “Health.” Or you might discover that you have many work/career related resolutions. Go ahead and group those together under their own category: Health, Career, Personal, Home, etc.
- Rank your categories. Of those major headers, pick the top three with the most items listed. These are the ones you should focus on.
- Rank your priorities. Go through those top three categories and rank the individual items in priority order, too. What is most important for you to accomplish in each area?
2. Narrow your focus. Let’s say Health is your priority, and losing weight is at the top of the list (the most common resolution people make). How you get there could be found in the other items in that category – going to the gym, changing your diet, training for a marathon, getting yourself a fitness tracker and other equipment from online stores like Mobile Mob, and so on.
Be careful about coupling together activities that will increase your stress level and decrease your chance of success – like losing weight and stopping smoking at the same time. Both of these things are massive undertakings. Pick one or the other. If you put too much pressure on yourself, it will be easier to fall off the wagon. Be good to yourself. This is yet another reason why New Year’s resolutions fail.
Additionally, there’s no reason why you can’t also tackle your top priority in your other two categories. For example, if painting your house is the top priority in your Home category, figure out a way to fit it into your schedule. Just because you want to lose weight doesn’t mean you have to live in a dreary environment while you’re doing it.
By focusing on something different, you will refresh your spirit and keep yourself motivated.
Plan to do the top priority in your third category, too. But your main focus should be on your top category, top priority.
3. Be realistic. Some things are simply out of reach. Your goals should have some stretch, but don’t make yourself crazy (or end up hating yourself) by trying to reach a goal you’ll never achieve. You cannot lose half your body weight in six months. Nor would you want to, especially if your goal is to be healthier.
4. Make a plan. Where do you want to end up? Within what time frame? Do some research. What do medical experts say is the doable amount of weight to lose a week, for example? Set out small, measurable steps that show your progress, and give them a realistic deadline. Celebrate every time you reach a milestone.
And don’t beat yourself up if you wander off the path now and again. It’s not the end of the world; you can always find your way back. If you have an accountability partner, like a coach, you are that much closer to reaching your goals.
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? If so, please share your top one for 2015.