#18: This Is Your Year to (Finally) Make a Resolution and Stick to It.
New year’s resolutions. We all make them, and statistically speaking, by the end of the first week of January, 25% of people who make a New Year’s resolution have already abandoned ship. By the end of January, the percentage of failure increases to more than one third. At the end of the year, only 9% of people who made a resolution report that they succeeded with it.
Having goals that are unrealistic isn’t the problem. Most people set goals that are very achievable. It’s the method of achieving the goal that isn’t working. It’s how we approach our goals that is completely wrong, and the approach is the reason people give up so quickly.
Whether it’s weight loss, or exercise, or saving money, or having more customers, keeping the focus strictly on the end result is what causes discouragement and makes people quit on their goals. Of course you have to have a clear picture of what the end result is, and always assess your progress towards it, but day in and day out, that is not where your energy and attention should be focused.
Stop focusing on the end result. Here’s an example of why:
Let’s say your New Year’s resolution is to lose 40 lbs by May 1. You decided you’ll lose 10 lbs per month for 4 months. This is when you start to run into a problem. You can’t possibly control losing 10 lbs per month for 4 months. What if the first month you lose 7 instead of 10? You may be happy with the 7, but it’s more likely a failed plan in your mind. You begin to think that you’ll never be able to lose the 40 lbs you promised yourself you’d lose in 4 months. You’re so discouraged that you decide you can’t do it and give up.
Instead, shift your focus to your daily activity. Here’s an example of the same goal, but with the focus on the activity instead of the result: Your New Year's resolution is to lose 40 lbs by May 1. You decide you’re going to watch your carb intake, cut sugar as much as possible, and drink a gallon of water daily. These are things you can actually control. And sticking to them creates daily wins. At the end of the first month you’re disappointed that you only lost 7 lbs but instead of giving up, you look back at the month (because of course you’re keeping track of your activity in your planner) to see what you should consider changing. You realize that you ate more pasta and drank less water than you probably should have, but still lost 7 lbs! This is a win! And now you know that if you increase your water intake, be more strict with the carbs, and even add in a walk a few times a week it may just make a difference.
It’s a huge mindset shift to focus on the things you can actually control- the activity. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started the right way:
Once you have your goal in place, create a list of the daily activities you’ll need to do/be mindful of to make a reality.
Get a daily planner and actually use it.
Use the planner for preplanning, meaning, add things to the planner that will help you focus on your daily priorities (eg; if you know that food prep for the week on Sunday will keep you from fast food at work during the week, put food prep in your calendar on Sundays).
Use the planner at the end of every day for documenting everything else you did but didn’t have written in as preplanned.
Use the planner to look back at your weeks/months/quarterly to evaluate what you’re doing and how you’re doing in relation to your goal.
Reward yourself when you are consistent or for hitting milestones.
Share your goal, your progress and your challenges with a few friends or family who you know would cheer you on.
Just remember, any changes you make towards achieving a goal are most likely changes for the best. So be proud of yourself for making those daily changes and know that even if you fall short of the end goal, you’ve made amazing progress and you will get there. Keep going!
And, Happy New Year.
