So you are making a New Year’s Resolution. More than half of New Year’s resolutions are not seen into fruition, but this year it shouldn’t be like that. In this article, we discuss different ways how to make your resolution a success and become part of a small number of people that actually achieve their goal.
Here is a list of most popular resolutions :
- Quit smoking
- Loose weight / start dieting / exercising
- Get married
- Find a boyfriend
- Drink less
- Change job
- Buy new car
- Start saving / save more
- Manage time better
- Make more time for family
- Start a business / part time venture / extra income
You are more likely to succeed if you attempt something which is feasible and doable. Resolutions fail either because they would be based on something that someone else wants, they are too vague, you a probably planning tough and immediate changes to your lifestyle, or there is no specific plan to achieve them.
Your resolutions should be SMART.
Specific.
Your resolution needs to be laid out clearly. If your objective for next year is to save more money, it needs to be broken down into; how much more? By when? And how?
Measurable.
You need to quantify your progress. Simply saying that you are saving more is not enough. You need to monitor how much you are saving and at regular intervals. This will enable you to measure up to your objective and see if you are reaching your target.
Achievable.
Although this does not mean that you should not attempt difficult challenges, it means that the objective can realistically be achieved. It would most likely be pointless to set an objective of saving enough money to retire in the next five years, if you are still in your mid-twenties.
Relevant.
You will need to ensure that this resolution will have a positive long-term impact for you and fits what you want to become. If you do a resolution based out of the heat of the moment or some form of remorse, it is highly likely that you will not commit.
Time-bound.
The timeframes in which you will be achieving your goal need to be realistic. You will need to split your goal into different timeframes, so you can motivate yourself with the smaller wins. If you have an objective for the next 2 years, set small goals based for every quarter so that you can keep yourself motivated.
It is so important to set your plan into motion as your resolution won’t be actioned on its own. You will need to break your habit into small bits and make progress slowly. So what’s your New Year’s Resolution going to be?
