By now, you’ve probably established some New Year’s Resolutions and hopefully you are off to a great start achieving your goals. Chances are, at some point in your life, you have made a New Year’s Resolution and then broken it. In the past I have been guilty of setting a resolution and then not giving it much thought afterward. As if the change were going to magically occur. I hope these tips for keeping your New Year’s Resolutions will help you to be successful!
1. Fine tune your goal. It’s important to be realistic and specific about your goal. Now is the time to give your resolution some more thought and break it down into manageable goals or tasks. Outline your plan. Start with small steps. Taking on too much is a common reason why so many New Year’s Resolutions fail. After all, you have until next year to complete your resolve.
2. Write it down. For me, just thinking about something doesn’t usually work. If you make a goal for something, write it down. I am a maker of lists, spreadsheets, charts and boards. Post your goals in a place where you will see them everyday. Making yourself a goal board or vision board will help you achieve success.
3. Talk about it. Don’t keep your New Year’s Resolutions a secret. Talk about your goals with friends and family. You may find that you share a common goal with someone and can work together. The buddy system is a great way to keep motivated.
4. Don’t beat yourself up or let small stumbles set you back. If you encounter a set back, don’t give up. It is normal for you to come up against challenges and set backs, so just refocus on your goal and don’t look back. Experts say that it takes 21 days for a new activity to become a habit, and 6 months for it to become part of your personality. Change isn’t going to happen overnight, but with persistence you can have success long before the end of the year.
I made a To Do List for 2012 to help me break down and visualize my goals and resolutions for the year. Please comment with your tips for keeping New Year’s Resolutions!
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