No, I am not making reference to any statements made during the last Presidential
campaign. The 8% refers to New Year’s
Resolutions. Today I learned that “New
Year’s Resolutions” date back to the time of ancient Babylonia (1). Really, it says so in Wikipedia! :-) Regardless of the origin of this practice, it
is not uncommon for many of us to use this transition to make a commitment to a
personal goal (or goals), projects and/or a behavioral change. The problem is that while the data suggest
that 40 – 45% of adult Americans make more than one resolution annually, only
about 8% are successful in achieving their resolutions (2). Well, you might ask given these odds, “why
bother”? The potential benefit is that
individuals who explicitly make New Year’s resolutions are 10 times more likely
to attain their goals than people who do not have explicit resolutions
(2).
The goal, then, should be to identify those strategies that improve
your chances of successfully achieving your goals? Below are some tips on how to successfully establish
your resolutions/goals and how to keep them.
Define realistic and specific goals. Don't make the mistake of defining a very general
goal and/or one that is impossible to keep. Generalities are harder to measure/track
and harder to adhere to. Also, be positive in your goal statements. Don’t say “I
want to achieve X” instead say “I will achieve X”.
Define intermediate
goals/milestones along the way. Define small goals to attain during the
journey to your end result. This will help you track your progress. You can also
develop a small reward system to keep yourself motivated. For example, a new gym
outfit if you meet your goal of working out 3x per week for 3 months in a
row. Make your reward a positive motivation
to continue your progress.
Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Simply because it is your resolution does not mean that you have to travel the
road alone. You might want to join a local support group for weight loss,
smoking cessation or even seek the advice of a financial counselor if your
goals are related to your savings. Sometimes objective input can shed new light
on your current situation.
Make your resolutions/goals
public. Some of you may not be comfortable with this, but numerous studies suggest
that making your goals public and having a support system improves the rate of
success. This also helps develop a level of accountability that for some of us
provides additional motivation during rough times. Let your family, friends or
co-workers know your resolutions and ask them to help you stay on track. Start
a journal. Track your progress in a blog or with an online support group.
Make a plan. I don't know
how many resolutions you might make, but for those that are a priority develop
a plan that is aligned with your milestones. If your goal is to lose weight, what
is your plan to accomplish this? Eat all of your meals at home? Reduce your calories (do you know what your
baseline is today)? Exercise more frequently? Your success in fulfilling your New
Year's resolutions will require time to develop a strategy and map out a plan
to reach your goal.
Don't give up when you have a
setback. So you had that piece of
pumpkin cheesecake on Friday night. Today is a new day and one lapse is no reason
to simply give up. You may have setbacks that impede your progress. That's ok. Don’t
beat yourself up over small mistakes.
Learn from them and move on.
Enjoy life. The most
important resolution of all and one tip that I hope will help make you successful
in everything you do in 2013 and beyond.
I hope you find so of these tips helpful. They are common sense, but sometimes seeing
things in black and white is helpful. I
wish you all the best for a peaceful, happy and healthy 2013.
References
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