Let’s talk about New Year’s resolutions.
Every December 31st, millions of us make lofty promises to become better versions of ourselves. And by January 15th, we’re huddled in our sweatpants, surrounded by a fortress of snack wrappers, swearing that next year will be different.
But here’s the thing: next year won’t be different unless we ditch the same ol’ annual self-improvement hype resolutions and adopt smarter strategies.
Why Resolutions Are Doomed to Fail
They’re Too Vague.
“Get in shape,” “be more productive,” or “speak up for myself.” These aren’t goals; they’re aspirations that lack a roadmap. If your resolution doesn’t include a concrete plan, it’s like deciding to go on a road trip without knowing where you’re headed.
They’re Unrealistic.
“I’ll lose 50 pounds by February!” Okay… but that’s over 5 pounds a week and probably unhealthy. “I’ll save $200 a month!” Wonderful… but if you haven’t been able to do that so far, what needs to change to make that goal?
They’re Based on Arbitrary Timelines.
Why January 1st? Does the calendar reset magically make us more disciplined? Nope, but woulda, coulda, shoulda takes over our brain for a minute when we do our end-of-the-year retrospective – and a lot of things sound good when the reset hands us a clean slate.
They are Too Focused on the Outcome, Not the Process
“I’ll be a size 8 by the wedding!” “I’m going to buy a house!” Both are astonishing goals, but are they doable? What will it take to hit this target?
How to Actually Make Change Happen
Set goals for yourself throughout the year, with built-in sub-goals as mile markers… each with a realistic beginning, middle, and end point. Or try this: “Today, I will plan ahead for that meeting and take my list of questions with me.”
Think Small, Act Big.
Instead of declaring war on all your flaws, pick one or two areas to focus on, AND start with small realistic subgoals so that success rolls in early. Then, build on it.
Set SMART Goals
SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. “Drink 64 ounces of water daily” is a lot easier to track (and accomplish) than “be healthier.”
Don’t Wait for January 1st.
Want to start improving? Cool. Do it on a random Tuesday in March. Or tomorrow. How about Today?
Get Comfortable with Failure.
Nobody nails it every day. If you miss a workout or devour a pint of ice cream in one sitting, that’s not the end of your goal. It’s a hiccup. Success isn’t about perfection; it’s about showing up more often than not.
The Bottom Line
Let’s focus on being 10% better today than we were yesterday. (By the way, 10% better today than yesterday multiplies up to a really big change by next New Year’s Day!).
Serve yourself some grace and work at reasonable (SMART) goals that offer lots of small wins along the way.
You – Me – We is a blog thread written by Artwell & Clarity, LLC and occasionally includes pieces by our partners or book / article reviews. Credit is given for outside authorship. All rights are reserved by Artwell & Clarity, LLC and/or the original author. Reproduction or use of content requires written permission.