January 1 is a day of infinite possibilities. Once that glowing ball drops and the parties all close down, human beings across the globe are left to dream of what the year ahead might hold. After a long, difficult year, it’s easy to dream of a better you:
“Once I start saving my money, I’ll be rolling in the dough!”
“I’m going to be thinner, stronger and run in every marathon I see!”
“CEO? I’m going to be so business-focused they’ll start calling it ME-EO!”
Unfortunately, by the time spring rolls around, these overconfident declarations start sounding a little tamer:
“I’ll just buy a large instead of the extra-large every other Friday. That’s twenty cents right there!”
“Walking to the fridge count as a workout, right?”
“Wait, what’s my job title again?”
Crafting resolutions is a great way to set goals and keep track of your personal and professional progress. Unfortunately, it’s harder to stick to these plans than it is to create them! This year, try rethinking this New Year’s tradition and start your own resolution revolution:
Start in March
How many times do we need to follow the old, predictable pattern before we try something new? If you’re like me, you’ve started many-a-January fresh with excitement about your resolutions, only to see them peter out in February and all but disappear come March. This year, consider building in a winter buffer for yourself before diving into your goals fully. Take this time to make concrete plans for achieving your goals (and to enjoy cabin fever and comfort foods during the coldest months of the year!) That way, you can hit the ground running come spring and hopefully avoid the same old pattern this year.
Buy In, For Real
Make yourself pay up if you don’t stick with it! Creating New Year’s resolutions can be a great motivator at first, but how likely are you to follow through with all of your lofty goals?
Be honest.
Personally, I know I have a hard time keeping up with my plans for the future once real life starts getting in the way. A great way to keep yourself motivated as time wears on is to tie real effects to not hitting bench marks for your overall goals. For example, if your overall goal for the year is to lose 20 pounds, you might have benchmarks set each month to monitor your progress. If you fail to hit these benchmarks, say by dropping a certain amount of weight or going to the gym a specific number of times, maybe you need to drop some cash into a progress jar at your desk! Having these goals tied to specific consequences, financial or otherwise, will help to keep you honest.
Call In Your Dream Team
Whether we acknowledge it or not, no one can achieve success entirely alone. Why should your New Year’s resolutions be any different? Before you start working towards your goals for the year ahead, assemble your team of goal-orientated all-stars to make sure you stay on track!
Don’t worry, the members of your resolution dream team don’t necessarily need to be self-help gurus or business super stars; rather, find the people in your life that you know can keep you accountable. If your resolution is to stop snacking carelessly throughout the day, maybe ask an office buddy nearby to keep an ear out for your afternoon crunches; if your resolution is to stop watching so much TV, your significant other might need to do their part and hide the remote from you! Gather your team, inform them of your goals and let them give you that extra push towards success.
Don’t let your resolutions fizzle out as fast as that New Year’s champagne! With just a few tweaks to the same old pattern, you can start achieving more goals than ever before. Do you have any favorite tips for setting (and sticking to) resolutions? Share your thoughts below!
Resolution Revolution: Rethinking the New Year Tradition
