Well, it’s true. New Year is indeed a great time to come up with new goals and build better habits. However, the problem with New Year’s Resolutions is that they typically fail.
In fact, statistics show that approximately 80% of resolutions fail by the second week of February.
(Raise your hand if you’re as guilty as I am.)
So why is this happening, you may ask? Here are 5 reasons why and how you can succeed in each one of them.
1. Your resolutions are too vague.
If you want succeed in your goals, make them specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.
Ok, so you want to get in shape… now what? You need to have a game plan by breaking down a list of SMART goals such as “go on a morning jog 5 days every week for 1 hour,” “drink water instead of soda,” “prepare home-cooked meals during weekdays.”
With these goals, it’s now easy to track your progress and measure your success.
2. Your resolutions are too overwhelming.
It’s okay to dream big, but sometimes, when our aspirations are too big, it can be hard to meet them. So set smaller and realistic goals that are easy to achieve within a time frame that you set for yourself.
3. You are in too much of a hurry.
Speaking of time frame, another reason why resolutions fail is treating your “plan” like a marathon. It doesn’t have to be that way, it should just be more like a sprint. A slow and steady approach is the way to go for it to become more effective. You can’t remodel your life overnight so just go easy with yourself and hope to make small changes at the right pace. Be patient and enjoy the process.
4. You are doing it alone.
I know that sometimes, it’s best to keep your goals to yourself so that you won’t get embarrassed in case you fail. But that’s the whole point of sharing your journey with other people. Aside from getting the support that you need to push through, you also get the motivation to show others that you are bound to success.
5. You don’t know the true essence of your goals.
Lastly, you will definitely fail if you only know what you want but not WHY you want it.
Sure, you want to lose weight and get in shape but why are these important to you? You need to reflect on each goal you set and think about why you are choosing them in the first place.
Is it because you want to reduce your risk of certain diseases? Or live longer for your children or grandchildren? Make your WHY’s your driving force to success.
Now that you’re aware of the reasons why resolutions can fail, I hope you keep my suggestions in mind so you can achieve your goals this time around.
