It's February 1st and by now only 64% of people who made resolutions are still working on them. Everyone else has quit or quite possibly forgotten what their resolutions were. Within six months, 22% more people will join them. In fact, statistics show that only 8% of people are actually successful in achieving their resolution. Only 8%.
So if only 8% of people are successful at keeping their resolutions, why do we even keep making them? I think the answer is fairly simple, we keep wanting to improve. We want to be better than we currently are and resolutions, or goals, will get us there.
So how can you become a part of that successful 8%? Here are ten tips that will help you get there:
1. Actually write down your goals. You wouldn't believe how much you increase your chance of success by simply writing down your goals. In 1979 Harvard MBA graduate students were interviewed and asked, "have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?" The results, 3% had written goals and plans, 13% had goals but they weren't in writing, and 84% had no goals at all. Ten years later the same group was interviewed again. The 13% of the class who had goals, but did not write them down was earning twice as much as the 84% who had no goals.
And the 3% who had written goals were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97% of the class combined. Conclusion, having goals is good, writing them down is better.
2. Make your goals specific and measurable. It is easier to achieve something if you know exactly what it is. For example, instead of setting a goal to read more, set a goal to read 48 books this year (or four books a month). Instead of resolving to lose weight, resolve to exercise at least four times a week and stay within your calorie limit. These goals are measurable and can be tracked.
3. Make your goals positive. It is a lot easier and motivating to be working towards something that is a positive thing. An example of this involves one of the most popular resolutions: to lose weight. Instead of focusing on the negative image of losing weight, focus on the flip side of it: being healthy. Instead of focusing on how many pounds you want to lose, focus on the body that you want to have and what you'll be able to do once you have it (extra energy, run around with the kids, more productive, more confident, etc.).
4. Cut your big goal into bite-size pieces. Let's say that you've made a goal to be healthier. Now you can make smaller goals that will help you reach that larger vision. You can resolve to exercise a set amount of times a week, get at least four servings of vegetables every day, drink eight glasses of water a day, run a half marathon or a full marathon, join a sports team, try a new athletic activity every month, etc. Don't do these smaller goals all at once. Start with one and once you've mastered it, move on to the next. Focusing on and accomplishing small goals along the way to our larger goal gives us consistent wins, and who doesn't like to win.
5. Get an accountability partner. Basically this just means to tell someone else about your goals, and no, your dog doesn't count. Make sure that the person you tell will be a positive influence to help you achieve those goals. What's even better? If that person works along with you on those goals.
6. Stick with it, even when you fail, because you will fail. All of us have bad weeks. We get sick. We go on vacation. We get swallowed up in the business of life. And we fail. And that's okay. If you get off track, the most important thing is to get back on. Even if it's been a week, two weeks, or a month. Get back on track towards achieving your goal.
10. Constantly review your goals. Wait, what happened to 7, 8, and 9? They don't matter nearly as much as 10 so I skipped them. If you don't constantly review your goals, you'll forget them. And if you don't know what your goals are, you'll never reach them and this entire post will have been meaningless. How can you always keep your goals in mind? I type mine up and use them as the background for my computer and mobile device. I'm definitely looking at those almost every day. I also put in an event and a reminder in my calendar at the beginning of each new month to review my goals for the year to be able to set bite-sized goals for that month. You could also tape them on your mirror or fridge. Or paint them on your ceiling. Find something that works for you and do it.
Resolutions, goals, whatever you want to call them are a way to become better than we are today. And isn't that something that we all want. So go out there with renewed motivation and tackle that great big world. Achieve your dreams. Seize the day.
What? You've already abandoned all of your new year's resolutions? Don't worry. Just do number 6 first.
