The Best New Year's Resolution

Ahh, the holidays. A time for decorating, for shopping, for cooking, for planning, for running extra errands, for wrapping, for attending parties, for completing year-end work goals, and so much more. It can be the most wonderful time of the year and it can be the most exhausting one too! The days seem to fly by quickly and before we know it, we are ringing in another year. With so much going on, it’s no wonder that most people spend little or no time planning for what they want in the coming year. Instead, most people resort to the time honored tradition of making a New Year’s Resolution. Studies show that 60% of people make New Year’s Resolutions. But sadly, most of those resolutions are abandoned by January 15th. In fact, statistically, only 8% of resolutions actually come to fruition. Only 8%!

If that’s the case, then why do we even make resolutions? The answer may be that we really do want change. We want our lives to be better or different some way. Whether that’s living a healthier lifestyle, improving our financial situation, getting a better job, taking up a new hobby, learning a new skill, giving back to our community, or simply making more time for family and friends, most of us have something that we would like to incorporate into our lives.

So if we want these things, why do most people fail to achieve them? The answer is often that the right motivation and plan haven’t been established. It’s so much faster to simply come up with an idea than it is to make sure it’s realistic and sustainable. But any marathon runner, house painter, litigator or Ted Talk speaker will tell you, results are so much better when you do the prep work. So perhaps taking the time to create meaningful goals and actionable plans is the key.

Make time to prioritize change and write it down.

Yes, life is busy. But our time on this earth is limited. And if you don’t make time to put some change in motion, statistically, you will most likely fail. So instead of putting it off, schedule and take some time to write out the change you want. Make your life a priority and, to help you, here are a few best practices to make it happen.

1. Be Specific.

Being very specific in your resolution will help you focus and measure your success. Stating that you want more money, or a better job, or you want to be healthier, is too broad. A more specific (better) resolution might be that you want to pay off a particular debt, start a travel or emergency fund, or increase sales by a particular amount. Or, maybe a healthier you next year might mean resolving to eat breakfast every day, incorporate a specific exercise into your weekly routine, start meditating, etc. If your list is long, pare it down and pick one thing to start with. Small changes add up to big things and success can cause a chain reaction to even bigger and better things. But taking on too much, too quickly can be unrealistic and overwhelming.

2. Ask Yourself “WHY”.

Ask yourself the following questions and write down your answers (or voice record them) and refer to them often.

• Why do I want this change?

• What will achieving this do for me?

• How will I feel when I achieve this?

• What will my life look like when I achieve this?

This is your motivation and you will want to refer to it often, especially when old habits or obstacles pop up.

3. List the First Steps.

What is your plan? Without a plan of action, you may end up making the same resolution year after year, without any success. If making plans seems daunting or painful, just keep it simple. Come up with one thing you can do tomorrow to move in the right direction. Later you can add the next right thing to do to keep moving forward.

You may need to remind yourself of your new habit. If you are taking a particular action, such as eating breakfast, or exercising, be sure to schedule it. If you want to get more sleep, put an alarm on your phone at a particular time as a reminder to get ready for bed. If you are paying off debt or want to save more, set up an automatic transfer from your checking account to hit on paydays, or a note in your calendar on those days to move $50 to your savings account, for example. If you want to increase sales next year, schedule the networking events for the first quarter, now. If you want to change jobs next year, block time for resume writing, meeting with a career counselor, or investigating online job boards, etc.

Sometimes, a plan may need to include replacing an undesirable behavior with a positive one. If you want to give up smoking, reduce your alcohol or sugar consumption, for example, consider healthy replacements that excite you. Ideas might include new hobbies that you find engaging or new foods and recipes to try.

4. Get Help.

You don’t have to go it alone. Getting support and finding resources can make the journey easier and elevate your success. You might want to share your resolution with family, friends or coworkers and ask them to keep you accountable. Search free resources online or at your local library. Find a podcast that keeps you motivated. Contact free business resources, such as the Small Business administration and others to find out what help they provide. Hire a coach to be your strategic partner. Look for others who have similar goals or interests and help each other or join a community. The possibilities are endless. So look for support that speaks to your motivation and goals.

5. Check Your Progress Often and Celebrate.

Don’t wait until the end of the year to look back and see how far you’ve come. Check-in often to be sure that you are being consistent, staying on track and making adjustments where necessary. And most importantly, to feel proud of your accomplishments, no matter how big or how small. Even the smallest step, is more than most people take, and is cause for you to hold your head up high and give yourself a pat on the back.

The last few months of each year are often referred to as the Season of Joy. It’s a season where we try to appreciate others and find time to give. We give gifts to those we cherish and to those who are in need. When we decide to extend that spirit of giving to ourselves, by taking time to contemplate and to plan for our future, we give the gift of success, and self-esteem. And in doing so, we can become the best version of ourselves as we interact with those around us and with the world. Perhaps then, that is the best New Year’s Resolution.