As people begin to pack up their stockings and menorahs, they pull out their to-do lists to write down their New Year’s resolutions. Many people go into the new year believing they will power through the year and stick to these goals; however, this is not a reality for the majority. On average, only 8 percent of people keep the resolutions they make at the beginning of the year. If you are one of the 92 percent of people who can’t seem to keep their resolutions, here are a few tips on how to stick with your goals.
A common mistake many people make is creating a goal for the new year that will drastically change their daily lives, such as running three miles everyday, even though they haven’t run a single consecutive mile the year before. Instead, start off small and eventually work up to that drastic change.
Remember that no matter the goal, a majority of life changes take time. Everyone wants great results as quickly as possible, but results take work. By putting in the work over time, you will end up with better results that will last you for a longer period of time. Let’s say that your New Year’s resolution is to improve your grades—your grades won’t instantly change the week you set this goal. It takes hard work and determination to boost your grade point average. If you make it your mission to develop better study habits and apply them throughout the semester, you will see positive results.
Find ways to motivate yourself. Unless you have an extremely good support system, chances are your peers aren’t going to be there everyday to remind you to stick with your goal. In order to achieve it to the best of your ability, you are going to have to be the person who powers through those moments of weakness. Set small weekly goals for yourself in order to keep you on track and make sure you don’t give up. For example, if your goal is to improve your piano skills, set times to practice every week. It doesn’t necessarily have to be five hours everyday, but make sure it fits your schedule while still being realistic enough for you to reach your main objective.
Finally, make your resolution an ultimate goal for yourself that will better you as an individual. By setting resolutions like this for yourself, it will motivate you to reach your goal because you will have accomplished something that made you a better person. Designer Mary Gode used many of these strategies to keep her favorite new years resolution. A few years ago, she made it a goal of hers to not talk so much. “I found that I would talk just to fill the silence. I started listening to myself and realized I was just blathering. After that I decided to make a change.” The biggest factor in helping her achieve her goal was mindfulness. By being aware of herself and her limits, she was able to combat rambling after six months.
Use these strategies to stay with your New Year’s resolution. As long as you are persistent and work hard to achieve it, you can reach their goals. Good luck!
