Ready to Get Serious about that Resolution?

Ah yes, can you feel it? The hope and optimism of all the new years resolutions for more family time, financial success and sticking to the diet that will finally work.

New Years is special because it is a marker in time we all celebrate, unlike birthdays and anniversaries. And it is inspiring to plan to turn the less than appealing parts of our life around in a 12 month period. But we all know that after about a week most of us have already forgotten our resolutions, and after two weeks we remember and blame it to circumstance or some other “reasonable” justification.

Well if you would like to get serious about your resolutions this year, here is how to do it.

1. Focus on 30 days not 12 Months: Instead of trying to amp up for 12 months of commitment to something you obviously haven’t been able to do before, focus on just he first 30 days. None of us have will power in these areas of “resolution”, otherwise they wouldn’t need to be a resolution. Instead focus on making it to the point where the pursuit of your resolution can become a habit.
2. Look for Lifestyle Tipping Points: Resolutions are typically results we haven’t been able to obtain yet - and they feel like big things to accomplish. But usually it is a simple decision or new behavior that will be the “tipping point” to finally pulling it off. For me it is always my sleeping schedule. Just going to bed and waking up earlier is often the tipping point a lot of people need.
3. Be Specific: We all know that if your goal is “get out of debt” or “lose weight”, it will never happen. The old adage “If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time” is in full effect here. Instead set resolutions like “I am going to lose 30 lbs by changing my diet and starting the habit of jogging” or “We are going to pay off the $12,000 we still owe on school loans by refashioning our budget and eating out less.”
4. Blog about it! (or just tell someone): Resolutions that are secrets never happen. There isn’t any accountability to follow through. You have to tell people what you plan to do, and even see if you can have then join you in it. Finding someone to jog with before or after work is 100% more effective then trying to do it on your own.