Do New Year’s Resolutions Really Work?
Making New Year’s Resolutions seems to be the ‘in’ thing to do each year, but do they really work? The answer to this would depend upon how serious you are when you make your New Year’s resolution.
Do you view a New Year’s Resolution as something fleeting? You just make a bunch of half-hearted resolutions without any real intention of trying to get them to work? Or, are you in the minority, where you take your resolutions extremely seriously? If so, then you’re one of the few that has the best chances of succeeding with your resolutions.
This year, before you start making a major list of resolutions, why not really commit to changing just one thing in your life instead? It will be so much easier to tackle just one resolution at a time. In fact, it will be even easier if you see your New Year’s Resolution as a goal.
The majority of people view goals as a more serious item, whereas a New Year’s resolution is often thought of as just something that by the end of January you don’t bother with anymore.
It’s just a strange quirk of human nature that goals are taken more seriously. Plus, you’re more likely to tell your family and friends about your goals. Vocalizing your goal solidifies it into your mind so that it becomes a daily focus. The end result is that you are 10 times more likely to succeed!
Now’s the time to sit down and decide which aspect of your life you truly want to change. Make it something that you really want with all your heart’s desire, otherwise your motivation will not last.
Once you’ve decided on your goal, your next step is to write it down. This way, your goal becomes real. You can also post your intentions on your Facebook page, your blog, or, if you have your own business, you can even let your list subscribers know. Once you’ve taken the plunge to go this far, people are going to expect to see results, and you don’t want to disappoint them, do you?
Now that you’ve made a commitment, it’s time to start working on your goal. The best way to do this is to create a plan of attack. This can be as simple as writing down the steps you need to follow to reach your goal. Or you may prefer to write detailed steps and set mini goals that you have to reach.
This will be a personal preference and, if your motivation is high, you may not feel as though you need a step-by-step plan to follow. Just remember to make yourself accountable so that you stay on track.
It can be helpful to post weekly updates on your social pages, or let your subscribers know each week how you’re progressing. Whatever you do, you don’t want to lose sight of your goal. Otherwise, it may start to get pushed to the back of your mind and become a forgotten goal.
So, even if your friends and co-workers are busy writing up a huge list of New Year’s Resolutions, be firm and just choose one this year. Then stand back and watch and see how many of your friends actually follow through and who is still working on their resolutions come February.
Have some type of plan to follow or use certain tools, if necessary, to help you achieve the success that you want and that you deserve. In the end, you’re going to be responsible for your own actions and no-one else.
