How to Make Your Resolutions More Resolute

For many of us, this time of year brings the challenge – and promise – of New Year’s resolutions; a blank slate on which we can paint 2016 as the year we do something more, or less, or start or stop.  I have yet to commit to my 2016 resolutions (apparently, one should be to procrastinate less) and I’m sure many are in the same boat as me.  But how do we make them stick?  How do we make what we promise in January be the same thing we’re fulfilling in July and can check off our list in December?  Research says only 12% of us actually fulfill our New Year’s resolutions.  Don’t be a statistic!

Here are a few tips, tricks, and helpful reminders for making your New Year’s Resolutions more…resolute: 

Tell someone – we are much more likely to stick to commitments we share with others.  We don’t want to be embarrassed if we fail, and we want to feel the praise of the achievement.  Tell your friends, your family, your co-workers or share it on social media.  The extra pressure to succeed may help you get there.

​Undercommit and overdeliver to yourself – don’t bite off more than you can chew.  If you want to walk 10 miles a week, scale your goals a bit so an early failure doesn’t make you give up completely.  Maybe walk 5 miles a week for the first month and work your way up to your eventual goal.  Missing the mark early may be a deterrent to keeping it going.

Don’t start yet – this is perfect for us “put-it-off”ers.  Wait until your schedule (home or work) is best-suited for taking on a new challenge.  If January is a busy month, wait until you have more time.  Again, you’re much more likely to stick to your commitment if you have early successes.  Don’t set yourself up to fail by feeling obligated to start immediately.

Finish soon – conversely, committing to 12 months of a resolution may seem daunting.  Maybe a 6-month resolution will keep your end goal in view.  Then, start a mid-year resolution if you’re ready!

Make your goal measurable – don’t just say “I want to eat healthier” or “I want to spend less time glued to my phone.”  Attach a quantifiable goal to your resolution that makes you able to definitely say that you completed it (or, yikes, did not).

Treat yourself – have a reward planned if you reach your (now quantifiable) goal.  Better yet, create mile-markers along the way and reward yourself for those too!  Find what will give you that extra bit of motivation and then give yourself a pat on the back.  Or a new watch.

This blog post was written by Trent Sano

Trent is a Lake George native and works as the Director of Human Resources for the Six Flags Great Escape resort.  He lives in Queensbury with his amazing wife and two wonderful children.