New Year's Resolutions
Why New Year's Resolutions Fail
I recently heard that January 10th is called "Quitter's Day" - it's the day that statistically most people who set New Year's Resolutions quit them.
For most people, New Year's Resolutions don't work, but why? They're usually aligned with your loftiest goals and most idealized version of yourself. A new year gives you a sort of blank slate and fresh start to slow down, focus in, and try something new. It seems like a great recipe for success. But New Year's Resolutions that are lofty and idealized can make them feel impossible to follow through on, which is why most people end up quitting them instead.
If you want to change something, start with goals instead of resolutions
What's the difference? A goal tends to be more specific, have clear steps, and a defined end point. Where resolutions are focused on an end point without a clear way to get there, goals can be more focused on a process that leads you from where you are to where you want to be.
If you want to achieve your goals, start small
Okay, so all of us have probably also set goals we didn't quite reach. The biggest obstacle I see people wrestle with that gets in the way of their goals is starting big instead of starting small. Most people want to start at the end point instead of picking a smaller, more achievable beginning.
Take for example fitness - probably the most common New Years Resolution is something along the lines of "I'm going to get healthy in 2025." Let's turn that into a goal that's more specific and has a way for you to evaluate your progress - "I'm going to go to the gym 3 times a week in 2025." Is that goal reasonable? Probably so, but if you're currently going to the gym 0 times a week, it may be too big of a gap between where you are and where you want to be to follow through consistently.
When setting goals, think about the easiest, most achievable action you can start with and feel confident that you’ll succeed
Maybe in this example it's going to the gym once a week. Great, if you know you can do that successfully, you have your starting point! Success builds momentum, and once you find yourself consistently following through it tends to be easier to add on the next achievable step - maybe it's stepping up to going two times a week - until you're able to get to your desired goal.
The New Year is a great time to reset old patterns and set new goals
What's something specific you'd like to achieve over the next year? Now, what's the simplest, most achievable first step? Start there, reassess consistently adding next steps as you go, and record your progress so you can see what you're accomplishing. I've found this to be the most effective way to set a goal, follow through, and reach success.
Back to Quitter's Day... as terrible as it sounds to have a day set aside to recognize those who fail to achieve their New Year's Resolutions, it's also intended to encourage and equip them to try again so that they can succeed. If you're not where you want to be, you have endless chances to start again and keep going.
