As another year begins, more people are realizing that they’re not doing a very good job at keeping their New Year’s resolutions. According to Forbes.com, only 8% of the population actually achieves their goal. The year always starts off with such enthusiasm and excitement but then the energy plummets and that may make this year just like the others. Don’t let this drive slip, here are five tips to help keep those dreams high.
- Make sure goals are specific.
Probably the most common goal is “to lose weight” but what does that really mean? Having such an open ended goal makes it harder to reach said goal. Set a quantitative goal, one that can be measured. Such as a number of pounds to lose or a specific amount of money to save.
- Share these resolutions with friends or family.
Goals may be pretty personal but having the courage to share these dreams with others will help with achieving them. It holds people accountable so when their friends are asking how their weight lose is going, they can give an honest answer. Having others support makes people more likely to keep and achieve their goals.
- Plan out time to work towards the goal.
Be sure to set aside time to actually get things done. It can be hard to stick to a schedule but it takes three weeks to make something a habit. Once those three weeks are over, it could come as easily as brushing teeth. Then it could be an activity to continue doing for years to come.
- Don’t let slip-ups affect progress.
Mistakes happen, they shouldn’t keep someone from continuing to better themselves. Whether it’s not sticking to a diet or missing church more than they would like, they shouldn’t give up all together. Get back up and keep up the routine. Any progress is good so don’t take it as a sign to give up.
- Tailor resolutions to one’s true wants.
Resolutions should be all about making people feel better about themselves. Don’t pick a clique that you think you should pick, set goals that would truly make you happy. If you’re happy with your weight then make a goal to work on mental health. Or maybe it’s to save more money or be more organized. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something you truly desire.
