What to Consider as You Make Your New Year's Resolutions
By Andrew Patricio
December 31, 2018
Productivity
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Ever feel like the New Year rolls around and you don’t really have a good grasp on how you want to improve for the coming year? Or maybe you’re like the over 90% of people who quit their resolutions only a few weeks into the New Year.
This year will be different. As you start to make your New Year’s resolutions, here are five things to consider.
1. Think Small
Many New Year’s resolutions fall off track because they’re too grandiose. Although you might want to dream big, it’s more important to dream realistically. Not only will thinking small give you more encouragement that your goal is attainable, but it’ll also help you stay on course once the thrill of the New Year wears off.
2. Think Specific
Specificity is critical when it comes to making resolutions. If you’re too vague, you leave the door open for making excuses and not reaching your full potential.
Don’t be afraid to get really granular with your resolutions. For example, instead of saying, “I want to run more,” say, “I want to run a marathon by the end of the year.” Or, instead of saying, “I want to earn more money,” say, “I want to double my sales by June.” See the difference? The more specific you can be, the easier it’ll be to know whether you reached your goals and whether you’re doing enough to stay on track with your resolutions.
3. Create Accountability
Some people respond well to positive peer pressure. Others respond well to results. Think carefully about what you respond best to and what will hold your feet closest to the fire to see your resolutions through. Then, do whatever it takes to hold yourself accountable using those methods. For example, if you respond well to having people pressure you to follow through, then post your resolutions on social media. If you respond better to another type of win, set yourself up so you can see how closely you’re inching toward that goal day by day.
4. Make an Action Plan
Goals in and of themselves are not enough. You must also have a plan for how to achieve those goals. What needs to happen to accomplish something spectacular? What steps do you need to take to reach your end goals?
Having an action plan provides clarity toward your goals. The clearer you are about which steps you need to take, the easier it is to take those steps. If you’re fuzzy on what you need to do to reach your goals, you’ll create excuses and put off projects, which can derail your efforts.
5. Check In Regularly
When you’re changing a habit or starting on a new journey, it’s normal and easy to fall off the path. Regular progress check-ins are key to staying on track and on course for your end goal. When you do, one of two things will happen. Either you’ll realize that you’ve fallen behind, or you’ll see the momentum you’ve built. Both are important to achieving your goals, but you have to check-in to know where you fall on the spectrum.
Go Get ‘Em
Happy New Year! Now go get ‘em and give the world all the value you can deliver.