Reclaim Your New Year's Resolutions with These 3 Easy Tips

New Year's resolutions... Who really keeps them? Well, the answer to that question could be you - even if, like most people, you've already abandoned them. In fact, you might already know that more than 90% of New Year’s resolutions fail by Valentine’s Day. So, rather than fretting over what you have or haven't done so far this year, you can still accomplish those New Year's resolutions - even if you're starting over a bit later in the year. 

Try these easy action tips to help you reclaim and achieve the resolutions you made at the start of the New Year: 

Tip #1 - Have A Plan

Most New Year's resolutions will fail if you haven’t created a plan for setting the goal and reaching it. You might have heard the saying that a goal without a plan is a plan to fail. So, for your greatest success, avoid this biggest of mistakes when it comes to setting New Year's resolutions, and create a plan detailing the exact actions you will need to take if you're going to achieve your resolution.

Of course, that implies that you already know exactly what you want to do. Saying, "I want to lose weight" isn't going to cut it. It leaves a lot of wiggle room. But saying "I want to lose 20-lbs by December 1st" is a much better plan.  So create a detailed plan that entails exactly how you'll get to your goal at each step along the way.

RELATED ARTICLE | Here's the Biggest Mistake to Avoid When Setting New Year's Resolutions

And don't forget to also detail the daily actions that you will be taking to help you edge towards reaching your resolution. When I'm working with my clients, I make them put it in their calendar. I'll have them schedule an hour or two block of time that is dedicated only towards working only on that specific goal.  For many busy entrepreneurs and business people, if it doesn't make it on the calendar, it doesn't happen! So if you're wanting to lose those 20 pounds, maybe that hour is dedicated to walking, running, or making it to the gym. Whatever your goal, this activity of having a plan and setting aside calendar time will help to ensure that you have scheduled time to work towards your goal.  

Tip #2 - Break It Down

Yes, you've heard sentiments like these before, and that's because breaking down your goals down into bite-sized chunks is always a part of the master plan for success. It's a timeless principle, but it’s often overlooked and not given its due attention. So be sure to give this step your full focus if you're really serious about reaching your big goals and resolutions. 

If your goal is to land 20 new clients by the end of the year, for example, you might be challenged by the sheer number of calls, emails and notes reaching that goal might require. But this is exactly why specificity is one of the core elements of the Goal Setting Theory established in the late 1960's by E. Locke.  Break the goal down forces you to make a specific choice about action and the desired outcome or result.  That helps to increase your focus and can quickly spark motivation.

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Would you like some guidance and inspiration to set up your bucket list? Check out my guide, The Ultimate Life Bucket List and get started today!

If you were to begin to break down the goal of landing 20 new clients in the next nine months, for example, that would equate to just over two clients per month (2.2 clients).  Now, that big, hairy, audacious goal appears much more reasonable, doesn't it?  What this example illustrates is that breaking larger goals down into bite-sized tasks allows you to set and accomplish smaller and more manageable goals.  And, as a result, you'll likely stay more motivated and moving in the right direction as you rack up win after win. (And even if you fall a bit short of the big goal you have set for yourself, you'll still have increased your number of clients - essentially, you've succeeded because you're in a better position than when you initially set the goal.)  

This strategy works for any goal because everything seems more attainable when it's broken down into smaller, manageable pieces.  Knowing that, you can get back on track by reviewing your big goal or resolution, and identifying where you can break your steps down even further.

Tip #3 -  Make It Known

It’s always a smart move to tell someone about your New Year's resolution. That act will force you to be held accountable for your success or lack thereof. Regular accountability keeps you on track, and you'll feel a bigger commitment to actually completing the goal than if you were to simply keep it a secret. 

When the right person to holds you accountable, you'll also have the opportunity to receive feedback, which, incidentally, is another core tenet of the Goal-Setting Theory.  That opportunity means that you'll be able to gain greater clarity and perspective, and make adjustments if and when it's necessary.  Imagine how valuable feedback can be when you consider that some bigger goals and projects can span weeks—sometimes even months or years. I mean, can you think of anything worse than investing all of that time, work and energy into something, only to discover that you’re totally off track?

RELATED ARTICLE : 5 Mistakes People and Business Owners Make When Setting Goals

That opportunity is something that you would miss if you try to tackle your goals and resolutions on your own or in one fell swoop. But with someone holding you accountable, offering direction and perspective, now you’ve doubled the incentive to meet your goal: First, there’s the excitement and joy that your success will bring when you’re able to say that you’ve reached your goal. You’ll also avoid the embarrassment of having to explain to your accountability partner or coach why you let your goal get away from you.

Something to consider here is the quality of your feedback choice will always play a role in the outcome of your goal. So, choose someone that you can expect told hold you accountable for reaching your goals and push you through any challenges and excuses. An unmotivated friend or someone that will simply say "It's okay, try again next year" isn't the right person for the job.

So, just think about it: who’s got your back?

Summary

If your New Year's resolution is still important to you, and you are still committed to it, if you take your New Year's resolution seriously, if you follow these tips and give it your best consistent effort, and your goal won’t seem so far out of reach.  Just envision what your life will be like after you reach your resolution and how much better your life will be.

Find someone that can hold you accountable to reaching your goal, and you'll find a sense of pride knowing that you've worked hard to accomplish your New Year's resolutions!

Damien Vanderburg is a small business consultant and a certified high performance coach with a focus on personal development, high price-point sales and serial entrepreneurship. With more than 20 years experience teaching, training and developing high performers, Damien helps those who want to transform effectiveness, maximize potential and accelerate results. He is also the co-founder of Counterpoint Test Prep, a test prep and college app consulting company. 

Go to www.damienvanderburg.com and learn more. 

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By the way, in case you missed it, I recently hosted a 2021 Year in Review Workshop designed to help people look back at the last 12 months and reflect so that you can step into the New Year with confidence and a plan. 

Watch the replay for FREE by clicking here to check it out!

Look, we’re both serious about accomplishing your most important goals in life. Let’s make it official and work together.

If you want to focus more on achieving your life's most important goals this year, both personally and professionally, without sacrificing your happiness, joy or sanity, let's connect and achieve them together. Click here to start a short questionnaire and let's see if it might make sense to explore your options in working with me.