4 Ways to Make a Good New Year’s Resolution That Sticks

New Year’s resolutions are nearly impossible to achieve. Why? Because most people are unrealistic when they haphazardly pull their banal resolutions out of thin air.

People set themselves up for failure by not crafting a realistic New Year’s resolution they can keep and make work for them.

Does that sound like you?

 

After failing to keep my own resolutions, I realized they’re based on forming new habits and changing your mindset. Those things don’t happen overnight.

I know you know that, but we still kick ourselves in the pants when we don’t follow through. In some cases, we throw our hands in the air and give up altogether. Sometimes all in the month of January!

Last year I ran a New Year’s resolution experiment. It was different than any other resolution I had ever made before: write a book and get it published.

How did I make my resolution a reality?

First let’s dive into what makes a bad New Year’s resolution:

#1 – Making Crazy Promises

If you set irrational goals like losing 50 pounds and don’t have a plan to make it happen, you may be setting yourself up for crushing failure and harsh self-criticism.

Be realistic and have plan.

#2 – Repeating The Same Resolution

Setting the same goal as last year because if you didn’t achieve it then could make you feel even worse now, especially if you don’t reach it again.

Try something new.

 

#3 – Focusing On The Negative

If your resolution is to stop eating so much junk food, you might be making it more difficult for yourself. Why? Because you’re so focused on the negative junk food rather than focusing on the positive, such as eating more fruit and vegetables.

Be positive. Reframe your goal into something you will do instead of something you won’t do.

Put all your energy into getting healthier. Slowly incorporate eating more fruit and vegetables and less junk food. If you enjoy junk food, don’t cut it out of your life altogether. Depriving yourself of something you really want will only make you want it more.

If you stay positive, it might keep you energized so you stay committed to your resolution.

Now that we’ve reviewed a few of the ways NOT to make a resolution, let’s go over what you can do to make that resolution a reality.

 

How to make a New Year’s Resolution that sticks:

#1 – Set Goals, Not Resolutions

Resolutions are promises. You would never break a promise, right? And if you did break one, it would make you feel horrible.

On the other hand, goals allow for flexibility. Sometimes life gets in the way of your goal. Maybe you’re traveling on business and can’t eat healthy or maybe you sneak a smoke.

Giving yourself that flexibility allows you to make it through the bumps in the road so you can stay motivated and get back to achieving your goal.

 

#2 – Focus On Something New

Losing weight, quitting smoking, or getting a new job are things that are closely tied to your self-worth as a person. If you don’t achieve these types of goals, you risk feeling really bad.

However, if you choose something new, such as writing a book or learning a new language, your sense of self is never in jeopardy. You won’t feel as bad if you fail. On the up side, if you achieve your goal, you’ll learn a valuable new skill.

As with anything new, do your research and figure out what you need in order to make it happen.

 

#3 – Concentrate On One Goal, At Least To Start

If you’re ambitious, you might be tempted to make a whole bunch of goals for the New Year. Having high aspirations is wonderful, but make sure to start with one.

If you have too many, your focus will be diluted. You’ll have too many balls in the air and making time for all them will be difficult, especially with all your other responsibilities.

You might not be able to make all of them happen, at least not at once.

 

#4 – Make Your Goal Achievable

If you have one huge goal you want to achieve in 2017, break it down into easily doable chunks so it doesn’t seem so daunting. If you have a step-by-step, tiered goal, you can celebrate when you achieve each milestone and feel good about your progress.

How do you break a big goal down into smaller, bite-sized goals? Good question!

Let’s get back to my goal from last year that I mentioned at the beginning of this article: write a book and get it published.

How did I make my New Year’s resolution happen?

Here’s how I did it:

I researched the entire process of how to write and publish an ebook on Amazon. Once I felt like I had a decent understanding of how to make it happen, I planned out my step-by-step journey to becoming a published author.

From creating my book outline and writing a little bit everyday to editing my manuscript and designing an eye-catching cover, I broke my huge goal of writing and publishing a book down into little chunks. Even on those days when life got in the way and I didn’t have a chance to write, getting published didn’t seem so overwhelming anymore.

Following the guidelines above, I made a new resolution, focused on it completely, and made it more doable by breaking it down into smaller, attainable goals.

How does your New Year’s resolution stack up?

If you already have a resolution in mind, I’d love to know what it is and how you’re planning to achieve it. Come share your resolution in our Facebook Group.

If you don’t have one, maybe this framework will help you achieve something you’ve always wanted to accomplish, but didn’t know how.

Want more? If you’ve got a New Year’s resolution you want to achieve, but you’re not sure how to get started, book a private 1-on-1 session with me. Let’s talk about it so you start the year off on the right foot.

Good luck and Happy New Year!