The clock strikes 12 o’clock, fireworks erupt over the night sky, and you lean in to kiss your loved one as a way of wishing them a Happy New Year. Then by 12:01 it becomes a new day, a new year, and supposedly the start to a new you, or at least an improved you.
That’s right! We’re talking about those dreaded New Years resolutions. The resolutions that you made with good intentions, the ones that you shared with family, friends, and Facebook. But by the end of the third week of January these resolutions seem so far out of reach and your old habits offer comfort and routine.
Many people fail at achieving their New Year’s resolutions, not because they don’t want to make the changes or they don’t want to commit, they fail because they don’t have a foundation or a solid plan to help them succeed.
Here are 6 Critical Steps to Help you Succeed in Crushing Your New Year’s Resolutions:
Step One – Set one primary resolution or goal.
Often times individuals will set many goals then get overwhelmed and focus on the easy goals to feel accomplished but never get around to the goal that will bring the most value into their life.
Step Two – Have a plan of action.
Don’t just say you want to run a half marathon, figure out the appropriate steps to help achieve that marathon. Having a plan of attack makes it easier to see where you’re at, how far you’ve come, and where you’re going.
Step Three – Get rid of the ‘all or nothing’ mentality.
In other words, if you have an off day, don’t let that ruin your New Year’s resolution. There’s plenty of evidence to support the idea that a bad day here and there has little overall effect on the resolutions we set. But when we focus on the days where we fall short, they quickly escalate and turn into a series of bad days. When we allow ourselves to believe a single bad day has ruined our entire resolution is when we truly begin to fail.
Step Four – See failure as a learning experience.
Failure has a bad rap but no one has ever had success without equal or more amounts of failure. Fear of failure often discourages people from taking risks that will bring them closer to their New Year’s resolution. Every time you fail don’t stress about it; instead learn from it and continue to push forward.
Step Five – Write your resolution down.
Write it down where others can see it, share your resolution with your friends and family. When you feel accountable to your loved ones for achieving your goal, you’re less likely to forget about it and more likely to put in a solid effort. Plus, when you do have those bad days or run into roadblocks, your ‘accountability partners’ can offer much needed encouragement and support.
Step Six – Don’t wait for motivation.
Motivation is a fickle thing and it’s never around when we truly need it. Understand that you can’t always control the way you feel but you can always make a decision. Take action regardless of how you’re feeling. It is a hard task to carry out at first but the more you practice, the easier it becomes.
With these 6 steps you are closer to achieving the goals and resolutions you have made for yourself. This year will be the year you succeed in crushing your New Year’s resolutions. With a little hard work, determination and a positive mind set, you can do anything you want to do.
IT’S YOUR JOURNEY.
OWN IT.