Setting Realistic New Year’s Resolutions

Setting Realistic New Year’s Resolutions can be a challenge but if you follow these helpful tips you can be among the few who successfully reach your goals!

If you’re like most of us you feel the pull to set all kinds of unrealistic goals for the next year as New Year’s Eve gets closer and closer. If you’re like most people you’ll choose to lose weight, work out more, eat healthier, quit smoking and get your finances in order. And, if you’re like most people you’ll achieve these hefty goals for at least the first week of the new year.

The good news is most people who set explicit goals for the new year (or any time of the year) are actually likely to achieve them (10X more than people who make more general goals.

Unfortunately most people make general goals and thus rarely succeed in achieving them. Only 8% of people who make New Year’s Resolutions make explicit enough goals that are attainable.

So, how can you set realistic New Year’s Resolutions and achieve success in keeping them?

1. Have Reasonable Expectations – Don’t set an unrealistic goal. This sounds really simple and yet most people who set New Year’s Resolutions set unrealistic goals. If you want to lose 50 lbs you’ll need to break it down to a less overwhelming goal and you’ll want to set parameters.  For instance, you can set weekly goals of 2 lbs over 25 weeks. Losing 2 lbs in a week seems much more achievable than 50 lbs in an undetermined timeframe.
2. Plan Your Attack – Now that you’ve decided you’re going to lose 2 lbs a week you need to plan how you’re going to do it. If you’re going to be counting calories you’ll need to keep track of what you eat. You can do this by simply keeping a journal and writing down the calorie count or you can use apps such as LoseIt or My Fitness Pal to keep a digital record. Keeping a digital record can be great motivation because the apps will send you awards or patches as you achieve your goals. You can also access your progress on any device. You can use these apps to keep a record of your work out schedule too. The trick is to use the app, or pen and paper, and keep a record of what you are doing to achieve your goal. By keeping track of your progress you’ll be less likely to fall back on old habits.
3. Share Your Goals – You don’t need to post your New Year’s Resolutions on social media (but you could if you wanted to) but it’s good to share your goal with someone you trust and someone who can support and encourage you to stay on course. Being accountable is a great way to achieve short and longer term goals. Be sure you choose someone who won’t sabotage your goal.
4. Everyone Makes Mistakes – If you mess up don’t let it get you down. We all have the occasional setback, the important thing to do is not let it get you down and to get back on track. This is where having a friend to support you comes in handy. If you mess up, don’t make excuses, just get back on track to reach your goal.
5. Give Yourself Credit – Acknowledge the good work you are doing while on the way to reaching your goal. Set mini goals and reward yourself with something like a night at the movies, a new book or something else that keeps you working in the direction of reaching your New Year’s Resolution.