Making A Resolution That Suits You

With the best intentions and a sincere wish for a better future, many people make New Year's Resolutions to kick off the New Year. Many of us promise ourselves each year that will definitely will follow through, only to struggle and give up fairly early on in the game. If you are serious about resolutions, it is imperative that you set yourself up for success by making resolutions that are both achievable and worthy of excitement.

Tips for Choosing Achievable Resolutions

When selecting a resolution, there are some simple guidelines that will improve your chances for success. First and foremost it is crucial that you pick resolutions that you can get truly excited about day after day. Focusing on one very important resolution works better than making too many resolutions where you scatter your efforts too thin. Also, it is critical that you do not select competing resolutions that will conflict with each other. For example, if I chose to exercise daily and write a blog post a day I may not have time to do both EVERYDAY. In the long run I would probably not be able to give 100% for either resolution. Therefore, by selecting just one obtainable and realistic resolution, you will be apt to stick with it for 365 days.

The reason behind the resolution must be compelling enough to keep you motivated. The commitment required to follow through on a resolution is substantial, so the resolution should be inspired personally instead of a suggestion from others. For example, if your parents are pushing you to get a graduate degree, but it is their idea and not yours, the resolution is probably going to fail.

How to Keep the Resolution Alive

Once an important resolution has been selected, the success will depend upon a person's ability to stay motivated when the going gets tough. One suggestion for staying pumped up to stay the course is to create a plan for success. Writing down goals that lead to the resolution is one way to make a task manageable. For instance, if you want to lose 40 pounds, it is better to set a goal for 5 pounds at a time. This is a bite-sized goal that can be measured and obtained in a relatively short period of time. By tasting the sweetness of success quickly, it is easier to stay motivated for the other 35 pounds.

A great way to keep you motivated is to set up a rewards system. I saw this neat idea on Pinterest for people trying to loose weight, or just go to the gym on a regular basis. All you do is take an empty jar or can and each time you go to the gym you place a one dollar bill, (a quarter, nickel or dime would work also), in the jar. Set a goal of reaching a certain amount of money, lets say $20 or so, and then take the money out and buy yourself something special. Rewarding yourself for meeting smaller goals will lead to ultimate success.

Conclusion

Making and keeping resolutions can greatly improve your quality of life. Since resolutions are nothing more than life goals, this activity has the potential to drastically improve life. Setting goals is one of the ways that achievers manage life and continue growing.  There is no reason to wait until December 31st to make a resolution to improve your life, however it is a good place to start.