10 Ways To Make New Year Resolutions You Can Actually Keep

By Author: Sam Sander
Total Articles: 60
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It's nearly that time of year again for making and breaking your New Year's resolutions. But fewer than 10% of people who set New Year Resolutions actually achieve them. So if you're one of the millions of people who make New
Year Resolutions each year, only to watch them fall by the wayside within the week, and would like to be able to set goals and resolutions that you can actually keep, then don't worry - it might be easier than you think.

First of all, choose your goals carefully. Goals should be focused on things that you really want and are prepared to work for, not just things that you think you want or should do.

And set realistic goals so you at least have a chance of being successful. Don't bite off more than you can chew and set yourself up for failure. This year's goals can be part of a longer term goal that you plan to achieve gradually. It doesn't all have to be done now or even this year.

It's also important to write your goals down. This has the effect of changing what is just a mere thought in your mind to a concrete decision and commitment. Be very specific about what you want to ...
... achieve, and set firm dates for when you are going to achieve your goals.

If you trying to quit a bad habit or start a good one, know and write down why you want to do so. You can reflect on this if you regress or if your motivation is slipping, to inspire yourself to keep going.

But don't try to change too many things at once. Each habit that you want to change has taken a long time to develop and it will take some focused time and attention to change.

It's also important to concentrate on actions YOU can do and have control of, rather than results. Identify what actions you can take to move towards your goal. You can only change your own behavior, not necessarily the outcomes of that behavior. And you definitely can't control the reactions and behaviors of other people.

Let other people know about your goals. Change is hard, and it is important to get a support network to encourage you along the way.

Or you could try a coach. A coach is like a personal trainer for your goals. They help you prepare a plan that will be most likely to succeed, will keep you motivated, and will keep your goals in mind even when you get distracted.

And finally, don't give up if you get off track. Just revise your goals and deadlines, and if necessary start afresh. Many people give up mid-January because they feel like they have already failed and will just be setting themselves up for more set-backs failure if they try again. Be flexible, be nice to yourself, and remember that virtually everyone slips up from time to time, particularly when starting out.
You can learn more about how to achieve all your goals and dreams by checking out these FREE goal setting tools and resources . You'll also find lots of free advice and tools on a range of self-improvement topics from success to people skills.