10 Tips to Stick to Your New Year's Resolutions

Raise your hand if you're in the majority of people who enthusiastically make a list of New Year's resolutions with the best of intentions, but by mid-February struggle to remember what those goals even were.

The reasons many people don't stick with their resolutions are as varied as the goals themselves, but often it's a matter of mindset and planning rather than lack of willpower or determination.¹

Increase your chances of creating the change you want with these tips on sticking to your New Year's resolutions.

1. Know Your “Why"

Resolutions sometimes fail because we set a goal that isn't actually meaningful or valuable to us, but we've been influenced to believe that it should be. Setting a vague resolution (“lose weight" or “eat better") is often a sign that we haven't thought deeply about whether or not a particular goal is important to us, or we just feel like it “should" be.

You're more likely to stick to your resolution if it's based on a goal that is motivating and important to you. If you're struggling to see the value in achieving that goal, it's not likely you'll be inspired to consistently keep working at it.¹

See if you can write down at least one or two reasons why you want to make this resolution, and set aside some time to reflect if those reasons feel true to you.

2. Choose One SMART Goal

It's tempting to get swept up in the enthusiasm of a fresh start to a new year, but the American Psychological Association recommends focusing on starting small and changing one behavior at a time.²

So, make your goal a SMART one, which stands for:³

• Specific. Make your goal concrete. Instead of “lose weight," say, “lose five pounds in the next two months."
• Measurable. Keep track of your progress, whether through an app, a spreadsheet or journal to check in and observe your results.
• Achievable. Set a goal you can reach in a reasonable amount of time to build positive momentum.
• Relevant. A goal that has the potential to make a real impact on your life is one you're more likely to work to achieve.
• Time-bound. Set a realistic timeline for achieving your overall goal, making gradual progress with small steps along the way.

3. Create Your Plan

Setting a meaningful, concrete goal is a great first step. Unfortunately, the plan to make it happen won't materialize from nothing. Some people find it helpful to create a step-by-step plan¹ or timeline to help them visualize their path. A bullet journal, mood board or productivity app can be a good way to get your thoughts out of your head and in a place where you can see them.

You can also formulate a cue-based plan, which associates the habit or behavior you're looking to change with a signal. A goal to “read more books" is undefined and vague. Revise that to “I'll read one chapter before bed three times per week" and you may have more success. Use whatever reminders work for you, from Post-it notes to calendar reminders or an alarm on your phone to keep you on track.⁴

4. Get Support

It's classic advice because it's effective: We get by with a little help from our friends. Let your family and friends in on your goals and your game plan, and ask for their support in helping you stay motivated and accountable.¹

Likewise, whatever your goal may be, it's likely there is a community of people with similar goals to support you in your pursuit. Find those birds of a similar feather and join their flock, where you'll have the opportunity to emulate their methods of success.⁴

5. Have Fun

Let's be honest: There's almost always some monotony associated with forging a new habit. The wash-rinse-repeat cycle that's inherently part of pursuing a goal can feel like an overwhelming chore, and it can be tempting to skip it altogether.

Try connecting the work at hand to something pleasurable, like listening to a favorite podcast while working out or allowing yourself 10 minutes of social media surfing after completing your task. Letting yourself enjoy the process increases your chances of sticking with your resolution.⁴

6. Plan for Obstacles

You'll inevitably encounter hurdles along the way, but your plan should leave room for mistakes so that obstacles become bumps in the road rather than obstructions that derail you.¹ Stay positive and focus on what's working, and acknowledge that your journey may take a different route than what you had originally planned.

7. Evaluate and Adapt

Focus on developing a growth mindset, which is a belief that we're capable of learning, evaluating and adapting our circumstances to improve outcomes. Take time to examine which aspects of your plan are working and which are not, and see if you can determine what factors are influencing either outcome.¹

Does your goal fit with your lifestyle as it is right now? Are you equipped with the right strategy to achieve your goal? Do you need to adjust the goal or your method of achieving it for a better outcome? Learn from past mistakes and alter your course when necessary.⁵

8. Reward Yourself Along the Way

You don't have to wait until you've achieved your goal to pat yourself on the back. In fact, rewarding yourself incrementally when you accomplish smaller steps along the way can provide the motivation and momentum to keep going. Change is a process of many steps taken one at a time; remember to acknowledge and celebrate along the way.⁵

9. It's OK to Start Again

Everyone makes mistakes, everyone experiences failures and everyone has the opportunity to start over. The confidence and motivation that comes with setting a new goal often wanes after a few weeks when you start to experience the discomfort or difficulty of changing a behavior or instilling a new habit.¹

It's OK to take a mulligan and call a do-over. Review your "why," make any necessary adjustments to your plan or the goal itself and get back in the game when you're ready.¹

10. Be Kind to Yourself

We're often our own harshest critic and speak to ourselves with words we'd never say to a loved one or a friend. Instead of mentally beating yourself up over a misstep, acknowledge that mistakes happen, plans get derailed and life goes on.² Try flipping the script: Instead of viewing a setback as a reason to give up, see it as a learning opportunity.¹

Doing something difficult is a chance to remind yourself you can do hard things. Show yourself some kindness and remember that you've got this.

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Author Bio

Anne-Marie Kennedy is a freelance writer with more than 20 years of experience covering health and wellness, personal finance and real estate/investing.