The new year is a time when resolutions are made, and for many people, they don’t stick. More than half of all resolutions fail to be completed in the first few months of the year. But this year can be different! This year, you can be one of the success stories!  You can identify the right resolution that will improve your life, create a plan on how to reach it, and become part of the small group of people who successfully achieve their goal.

Start your new year off right by making a resolution that won’t let you down. Resolutions don’t have to be hard; they just need to match where you are now and where you want to go next. Identify what will make your life better, why it matters, plan out how to achieve the goal, and you’ll be on your way to a resolution that sticks!

Follow these 5 steps to get started: 

1) Figure Out What You Want

You need to know what you want before setting specific goals. You need to create your vision, a map for your destination.

Where do you want to be in six months? How about in a year from now? It’s important to have an idea of what your life will look like when you achieve the goal. For example, if one of my resolutions is “I want to lose ten pounds by June 30th,” I need to have a clear idea of what my body will look like when I reach that goal.

2) Write Down Why You Want It 

• Why do you want to achieve this goal?
• Why am I making a change now?
• What is the purpose of your resolution?
• Why does this matter and what specifically will my life look like when I reach my resolution?

Identifying why you are making a change in your life helps keep you motivated. What benefits will I reap when I reach my goal? When thinking about these questions, be specific and focus on how the resolution will benefit your life. Additionally, think about who else will benefit. For example, if your resolution is to get healthier, not only will you benefit but so will your family and friends! Who else will benefit from my change in habits or life decisions?

3) Define Your Goals for This Area in Life 

Now is the time to get specific. What do you want to achieve in this area of your life? Set a few goals that will get you where you’re going, and make sure they are measurable so there is no doubt when it comes time to check in.

• What specifically should I be working on improving?
• How can I measure my progress?

In addition to defining your goals, it’s important that you put a date on when they should be completed. What is the timeline for achieving my goal?

And it’s important to make sure your goals are achievable! These goals should be challenging, but not so much that you’ll get discouraged when things don’t go perfectly. Make sure the goal is realistic in terms of ‘what’s possible for a person like me to achieve given my current life circumstances.

4) Create an Action Plan with Deadlines for Each Goal 

Finally, create a plan of action for how to reach your goal.

• What is my plan for achieving my goal?
• What do I need to accomplish each day/week/month?
• When do I want to have this accomplished?
• What specific steps will I take each day/week/month to reach my resolution?

Make sure to schedule each action step on a specific date and time, so you can follow through and see your progress. Also, break up the task so it’s not overwhelming! Instead of thinking about my resolution as “lose ten pounds” I will instead focus on specific action steps that are doable each day or week like cutting out 2 slices of bread per day and working out three times a week.

By breaking down large goals into smaller, achievable goals and creating a plan of action to reach those goals using deadlines will help you become more successful at achieving your resolution.

These are the most important parts of creating a plan that works, and you’ll be better off for it! The small group of people who can check off all four of these steps above are the ones who make their resolutions stick.

5) Share Your Goals with Others and Get Support

It may seem easier to stay quiet about the goals you’re working on, but having a support system that encourages and helps hold you accountable is critical. Who should I share my resolution with?  Who do I want in my corner, cheering me on when things get tough?

Getting encouragement from people who love and support you is a great way to stay motivated, and accountability from those around you can help make sure that your goals become reality.

Now’s the time! Get started by sharing your resolutions with people who are close to you. You never know what kind of support you might get! And if you don’t have those people around you, feel free to share them with me! I’ll be here, to help you accomplish all of your goals this year.

So don’t worry if you haven’t yet made your New Year’s Resolutions. You have plenty of time to get started. If you’ve been putting off making your objectives because you’re afraid of where to begin, it’s probably because you’re feeling overwhelmed or scared. Now that you have a strategy, there’s no need to overthink it. Grab a notebook, pen and get started! One year from now – you’ll be glad you did.

I am Wishing You and Your Loved Ones a Prosperous and Healthy New Year Filled with Success and Many Blessings!