Its that time of the year folks! After the fireworks have been lit and kisses shared, the New Year is everyone’s favorite time to reset and turn a new leaf. It is a yearly tradition for many to pen down the things they hope to accomplish in the year ahead, whether it be quitting a bad habit or adapting a new one. Of course resolutions are easier to make than keep and statistics have shown that 43% of people quit by the end of January and only 9% actually accomplish them. Why is that? Let’s get into some tips on achieving your resolutions this year.

Be specific

Instead of selecting an ambiguous goal like eating less or working out more, focus on picking something concrete that is both realistic and measurable. Rather than planning to read more books, plan to finish a book in a month. Instead of planning to drink more water, have a goal to drink a litre a day. When a goal is specific it is easier to hold yourself accountable as well as track your progress.

Less is more

Gone are your days of writing down 15 goals for the year and failing to accomplish even one. Spreading yourself thin might yield less satisfactory results than honing in on a few important goals at a time. Taking on too much at a time can be daunting and even overwhelming. Pick a few goals at a time, and add on once you have accomplished them.

Create a detailed plan

There is a common phrase that reads “Failure to plan is planning to fail.” It is not enough to just have a specific goal. You want to improve your English? How do you get there? Every journey has its hiccups and having a plan helps to make the path smoother. There are a few important questions to ask yourself.

• What strategy will I use to achieve my goal?
• What resources will I need?
• How do I measure my success?
• What challenges might I face and how will I overcome them?

Knowing the answers to these questions and planning ahead will set you up for sucess and ensure a smoother journey. 

Start slow

If you have resolved to exercise more, perhaps start out by taking walks a few times a week. Do not start by signing up for a half marathon. Work your way up to becoming the fitness guru of your dreams. If you plan to saving money, start by cutting down one expense like unsubscribing to a service you don’t really need and eventually shedding off other things. Making extreme lifestyle changes in one go may be uncomfortable and make sticking to them harder than anticipated. In the long run, it will be easier to stay consistent when the changes are sustainable. 

Did you guys set New Years Resolutions? We hope you find these tips helpful and become masters of your destinies this year!