It’s that time of year again. We all know what’s coming.
January 17 is officially Ditch Your New Year’s Resolution Day. This year, you don’t have to participate in the failure fiesta. Here is a guide to making–and keeping–fruitful and meaningful New Year’s Resolutions.
What is your why?
In a day and age where New Year’s Resolutions have become more of an April Fool’s joke, why are you really trying to make one? The number one way to make sure you keep your resolution is to only make one if you are serious about committing to it. If you start out half-heartedly, you’ll be lucky to make it to the 17th. If you are really passionate about your goal, it is much more likely to come true.
We’ve surveyed a few resolution makers, and their answers vary from “Being healthy for my kids,” to “Improving my quality of life.” No matter what your “why” is, you need one.
What is your plan?
If you go on a road trip without a map, it is highly unlikely you will reach your destination without getting lost, if you reach it at all. Similarly, if you set a goal without making a plan, the odds of meeting your goal are slim to none.
Making SMARTER goals is an easy way to ensure you have a fool-proof plan in place to help you meet them. SMARTER goals are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
- Evaluate
- Re-assess
You can read more about SMARTER goals here.
What is your focus?
Setting goals is great, but if we only focus on the result we end up very disappointed. So many elements of life are out of our control that the final result is often a lot of effort mixed with a bit of luck.
So, let’s turn that upside down. Focus on the effort, not the end product. If you make effort based resolutions, you are likely to feel more successful which will help you to stay dedicated to them.
What’s your resolution?
We want to know what you are going to do this year to make 2018 the best year ever. Share your New Year’s Resolutions in the comments!