With New Year’s Eve all done and gone, you may be thinking of putting together your New Year’s resolutions for 2020. A new year beautifully symbolises a new chapter opening in the book that is your life. But while so many people aspire to achieve ambitious goals, only 12% of us will ever achieve them.
But why is this and what can we do to succeed with our New Year’s resolution? If you want to find out, keep on reading.
- Don’t follow the crowd.Those end-of-the-year activities and New Year’s Eve parties often come with pressure to declare how you’re going to change your life. Many people set a resolution based on what they think they should do or they choose the same resolutions as their family members or friends rather than what they actually want to do.When it comes to resolutions think of yourself and what goals you want to achieve. If you friend’s resolution is to go to the gym more often, decide if this is a good idea for you. When your heart’s not in it won’t help you get in shape.49.2% of people made the same resolution at the start of the year before.
- Believe in yourself, but be realistic at the same time. When saying ‘‘I want to go to the gym 5 times a week’’ have an honest think if you are really going to stick to this resolution. Setting unrealistic, highly aspirational goals is a quick way to guilt and failure. Recognise that you have weaknesses and that you may struggle in some areas and you’ll be more emotionally prepared to keep going and meet your goal.On the other hand, you don’t want to lose all your confidence and feel negative. The only way to defeat doubt is to believe in yourself. Who cares if you’ve failed a time or two? This year, you can try again and strive for success. Stay positive – congratulate and reward yourself for making the effort towards your goal. That will give you the energy you need to continue achieving your initial goal.The most popular New Year’s resolutions are to: exercise more, lose weight, learn new skill or spend more time with family/friends.
- Plan, plan and plan.
Having a goal isn’t enough – you need a plan and a system. People set themselves up for failure because they commit to a resolution, fully knowing they have no plan in place to actually achieve it.
A little planning ahead goes a long way toward making good habits stick. All you need is a pen, notebook and some time. You have to answer tough questions like, “Will I have to wake up earlier to go to the gym?” or “How am I going to stick to my budget when my friends invite me out for dinner several nights per week?” Anticipating challenges and identifying solutions is a key to long-term success. Plan exactly what you want to achieve and how you’re going to do this – every week you should be a step closer.
