A new year means new resolutions…that will never be completed.
I know I sound cynical, but it’s the truth!
According to Business Insider and Forbes, most New Years Resolutions have a failure rate of 80% by February. Think about that: 80% in a span of two months! Talk about setting yourself up for failure. But it’s 2019 and this time, you want to stick with it. The question is how do we stick to our resolutions?
What’s the secret?
Some people will say that you just have to be diligent and that’s that, which of course is true. However that’s easier said then done. I wish I could say I have an awesome fool-proof answer because I don’t. But what I do have is experience in this matter. With my years of trial and error, I’ve come up with a formula that’s allowed me to achieve success in a lot of different areas in my life.
It’s been so effective that I thought I would share it with you! So you ready? Here is my way of sticking to and achieving my resolutions:
Set mini-resolutions.
What the heck does this mean? Make a list of goals you want to achieve for the new year. Once you’re done, take a look at your entire list and break them down into actionable steps. For example, you might want to lose weight which is a very common resolution. Instead of stating “My resolution is to lose weight”, which is vague, let’s break this down together:
Resolution: “I want to lose weight.”
The breakdown is…
- What do you need to do to achieve this: “Start exercising and manage my food intake.”
- How will you achieve the Exercise portion now: “Sign up for a gym membership, workout program, or look for a personal trainer.”
- How will you achieve the Food portion now: “Stop eating unhealthy snacks.”
- Mini-Resolution: Exercise 3x’s a week and replace your snacks from potato chips to apples for the next two weeks.
With breaking down this resolution, we went from something that feels so far and distant, to something that feels attainable and aligns with your goal. Let’s do another one:
Resolution: “Get out of financial debt.”
The breakdown is…
- What do you need to do to achieve this: “Manage how much I splurge.”
- How can you manage your splurge now: “Look at my monthly finances and compare what I want verses what I need.”
- Mini-Resolution: Set aside $20 each paycheck to your savings account and limit your splurge to $100 for one month.
I find that the more specific you get when, the more you’re able to look at your resolution as something that can actually happen. So once you reach your mini resolution, it actually motivates you to keep going. Suddenly you’ll get into the habit of creating more and more mini’s along the way.
It might take some practice but the more you try, the more ahead you are to achieving your goal.
What are some mini-resolutions that you have in store this year? Leave a comment below and let me know. Also if you like this post, make sure you share it with friends and family.
Til next time,
Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash