How to Write an Achievable New Year's Resolution
New Year’s resolutions — those things that everyone says they’re going to do the following year, and then gives up on by January 3rd. By now, you’ve probably considered just not making any resolutions at all (you’re just going to give up on them anyway). But maybe the problem isn’t your lack of drive, or that New Year’s resolutions are stupid; maybe you’re just approaching them the wrong way. Maybe, you’re just not making your resolutions realistic for yourself, setting yourself up for failure from day one.
But can you actually write a realistic New Year’s resolution? Yes, yes you can. Your resolutions can be accomplish — just follow these easy steps to writing an achievable New Year’s resolution.
1.) Think of something you really want to do/accomplish
Maybe it’s time to pull out that bucket list that’s collecting dust. Think of something (or somethings depending on how long you want your list to be) that you’ve always wanted to do. Things like travelling to a different country, running a marathon, and writing a novel are all big bucket list items that are great to spark ideas for New Year’s resolutions. If this doesn’t work, think back on the previous year, and on what you weren’t so happy with. Maybe you were stressed out a lot, and felt constantly unorganized; or maybe you feel like you had too many helpings of pizza at the dining hall.
2.) Make that goal realistic
Obviously, you won’t be able to run a marathon if you get winded walking up the stairs. And you won’t write a best selling novel if you haven’t put pen to paper in months. Start small. Shoot to run a 5k, or write the first five chapters of your book in the new year; that way you won’t feel partway through the year that your goal is simply not realistic. Even if your resolution is not based on your bucket list, this still applies. Don’t make the goal to avoid being stressed out for the next year (let’s face it, that’s impossible) — make it something simpler, like you want to become more organized. Don’t say you’re going to cut out pizza completely and lose 50 pounds; while this may seem somewhat realistic, it’ll require massive dedication and change to your lifestyle, so only agree to it if you’re 100 percent sure you want to commit to it.
3.) Make a plan for how you’re going to accomplish your goal
You can’t actually achieve your goal if you don’t give yourself a plan to accomplish it. Set up days you plan to train, or go to the gym; or set up specific times of the day to dedicate to writing. Give yourself short term goals throughout the year to shoot for. This will ensure that you stay on track to achieve your goal by the end of the year, and so you don’t start to feel overwhelmed.
4.) Write it down
Put it in a journal. Make a goal board. Write it in the notes app on your phone. Whatever works best for you, just make sure you document your goals. If you don’t write them down, how are you going to keep track of how you’re doing?
5.) Don’t tell people about your goal
Writer and entrepreneur Derek Sivers revealed in a TED Talk that telling people about your goals actually makes you less likely to achieve them, because it trick your brain into thinking you’ve already achieved your goal. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to keep your goal a secret from everyone you know; you can tell your friends and family about your goal, but do it in a way that inspires them to help you achieve it. For example, don’t say: “I’m going to run a 5k by the end of 2017.” Say: “I want to run a 5k this year, so I need to run at least three times a week. Don’t let me slack.” You can use them to hold you accountable, but don’t brag about what you’re going to do if you haven’t actually done it yet.
6.) Don’t give up
This is probably the most important factor in any successful New Year’s resolution. You’re going to face many roadblocks throughout the year, that are going to make you want to give up on your resolution — there are 365 days in a year, and not all of them are going to be good days. There will be setbacks, and days where you feel like you just want to give up; be stronger than those days, and remind yourself why you wanted to achieve that resolution in the first place. As long as you don’t quit, you’re more than likely to achieve your goal by the end of the year.
