Happy New Year!
Like many people around this time, I’ve set resolutions for myself in 2019. But resolutions never work, right? Sadly, this is largely true. Research says that only 8% of people who set resolutions stick to them throughout the year. So, am I kidding myself to think that I will follow through on goals? Not necessarily. There are a number of strategies and techniques to help to maximise your chances of succeeding with your resolutions.
Choose the right resolution
Are you aiming to drink or eat less because you’ve just come out of the festive season and you’re feeling guilty about your gluttony? Try to choose resolutions that aren’t reactions to your current emotional state, which will change as the year goes on. Ideally, it is good to think about your resolutions/goals throughout the year. Think about the person you’d like to become, or the values that are important to you. Resolutions that are tied to identity or values are more likely to be durable and therefore successful.
Don’t over commit
Choose just one or two goals. Especially if you have a bad track record with following through. If you are like me and have trouble keeping the number of goals to under 10, prioritise the goals. Its OK to try to juggle a lot of balls, as long as you know which ones you can drop when the going gets tough.
Make your goals SMART
Many people in the corporate and self-help worlds will know about SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-framed. One of my New Year’s Resolutions (or more current to say NY Goals) is to finish my Schema Accreditation. This goal is specific and measurable because it either will or won’t happen. Hopefully it is also realistic and achievable – I’ve already done most of the work needed to get there already. I’ve set a timeframe for completion as well, so I don’t just keep putting it off. Wish me luck!
Be OK with Plan B
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” said John Lennon. “Man plans, God laughs” goes an old Yiddish proverb. Nothing you set for yourself today will go exactly as you expect. Maybe it will turn out better, maybe worse. Roll with the unexpected. At the end of the year, look over your 2019 resolutions. Which ones worked. Which didn’t. Learn.
Good Luck!
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