How Can You Succeed with Your Resolutions?
As of January 10, 2021, eighty percent of New Year’s Resolutions failed. If you are basing real change on a calendar date, you are sure to fall into those statistics. A resolution, priority or whatever you call your goal, needs to have real meaning. It is the “why” that is important to the achievement. Although you might have a heartfelt commitment to change, here are some suggestions to increase the probability of success.
Start with setting defined S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based). A popular resolution is to get healthy. That would not align with being specific. If healthy is about losing weight, state that fact clearly by writing it down. Being measurable would be a statement like, “I want to lose 10 lbs.” But it also needs to be achievable or you are setting yourself up for instant disappointment. Trying to lose a large amount of weight in one year might be possible, but a monumental task unless broken down into chunks of small successes. Relevant has to do with key priorities. If you want to lose weight, but decide to take a pastry cooking class, you might be out of goal alignment. But a key factor in goal setting would be to add timing and dates to your goal. If you want to lose weight, break it down into chunks of time-based measurements. “I want to lose 10 lbs. by the 4th of July,” for example. If you use S.M.A.R.T. goals, you know if you are progressing toward your resolution.
Sometimes it is not the individual goal at the root cause of failure, but the quantity of goals. After the 2020 pandemic, everyone was so excited to leave the year behind and start fresh. The leftover goals from the prior year spilled over to the new year. We even reviewed our bucket list in the face of the doom and gloom of 2020. In many cases, our list grew with hope for the future year. Unfortunately, increasing the quantity does not allow us to focus on the priorities. If you have more than 8 goals, stop. Get your list and begin ranking your goals by importance. You do not have to toss out the 20 additional goals on your list, just put them aside until your key ones are attained. As coined by Robert Browning’s poem, “Less is more,” let that be your mantra for 2021.
Some noble goals as “being grateful” or “choosing to have a good day,” might not have the time requirements of other goals. But if you plan on building your dream house, a conscious effort needs to be made to develop plans then implement them. When trying to fit in these daunting priorities in your daily routine, it is recommended to also include a list of “don’t dos.” To clear some time to make room for what is really important, intentionally choose things you routinely do that is not as necessary. In my case, after almost 20 years in real estate, I made the conscious decision to put my license on hold. Although it was bittersweet, it was necessary to focus on our consulting practice. Other less essential items on the list could be eliminating TV time, reducing social media browsing or delegating routine tasks such as cleaning to a service. Generally, there is not enough time in the day to make room for new goals without removing unneeded activity.
To implement the priorities deemed most important requires monitoring the progress. Even a well described S.M.A.R.T. goal will stall without careful watch of the advancement. Moving the flag will not have traction unless the movement is tracked. Listing smaller rocks, or tasks, along with the specific metrics will guide the way toward success. Reviewing the rocks every 90 days or quarter with an accountability partner is a proven formula. However you track your priorities, keep them front and center during your daily routine.
As mentioned, an accountability partner is part of a proven system toward successful achievement of goals, but only a part. Sharing your goals with those people who care about you is a must. Using the example of weight loss, if your significant other does not know your objective, they can unintentionally sabotage the progress. Buying unhealthy snacks and questioning your workout commitment or your dietary changes would all negatively impact accomplishment. But explaining your “why” and “how” to your friends and family who love you will naturally bring support. They will become your accountability partner. As they say, “it takes a village” to raise a child, but that same village can help you keep on track toward your resolution.
So, if you do not want to fall into the statistical trap of 80% failure, use these simple guidelines to sustain the goals you started for the New Year. If you already lapsed into old habits, the good news is you can start at any time. No need to wait until 2022. If a calendar date is important, use the Chinese New Year of February 12. Any time, however, will do if you make a commitment to move your hypothetical flag towards your most important priority in 2021.
Has your New Year’s Resolution failed? How do you plan on getting back on track?
