Around 38% of adults will make New Year’s Resolutions every year. Of this 38%, around half of them will have abandoned all plans within a few weeks, with most people giving up by the end of February.
But why do people fail spectacularly to stick to their New Year’s resolutions? And what is so hard about sticking to
Typically, it is thought that motivation and determination for New Year resolutions wanes because people do too much too soon. They try to overhaul their life all at once, leading to drastic failure, or they simply don’t think things through or look at how to realistically carry out their resolutions and changes for the new year.
But just because most people don’t stick to them, it doesn’t mean that you wont. These tips can help you stay on track regardless of your resolutions this year.
Make A List
And check it twice. While you’re not Santa Claus, you should make a list of all the things you want to do and achieve this year. While you shouldn’t aim too high and make too many changes in the new year, it is good to write down what you want to do so you can see exactly what they are and ensure you have a base to start from.
Prioritise The List
Next, you should prioritize the list in order of importance to you or your health, for example, if you want to quit smoking or vaping this should be a top priority, while getting a piercing for example, can wait if you have more important things to do. Ask yourself questions such as;
- How much does it mean to you to get this done?
- Why do you need to prioritize it, and how urgent is it?
Some things can be put off for a while, while others should be done immediately, but this depends on you, your list, and where you are in life right now.
Research
Before you make any changes, you need to do your research. You do not need to do everything in January. However, this is the perfect time to start researching and making plans. Let’s say you want to lose weight; then taking some time to look at how best to lose weight for you, the right exercise, foods to eat, and so on will serve you well rather than simply cutting everything you deem to be “bad” or “wrong food types” from your life. The same goes for things like getting that tattoo you have been wanting or even covering up that tattoo you don’t like or isn’t the best. Finding the right tattoo artist in your local area, a Laser Tattoo Removal specialist, or a tattoo expert who deals with complex cover-ups will help you to see what positions are available to you, what is involved in the process, and what you can expect.
Break It Down
As mentioned, too many people think they need to jump in with both feet from the first of January to make the changes. But in the case of long-term or drastic decisions, it can be overwhelming. Instead, break it down.
If exercising more is your goal, instead of forcing yourself to work five days a week from doing nothing at all, stick to two days at first and see how it works for you. Then, up it as you get into the habit of working out more regularly. Set realistic deadlines to improve your fitness levels, increase intensity or duration, or add in that extra session. The same goes for losing weight. You need to break it down. If you want to lose 50 pounds, break it down into 5-pound or 10-pound sections and work towards that first. These smaller goals will be easier to achieve than the end goal.
Consistency not Motivation
Changing your mindset from that of needing to find motivation to developing consistent habits is vital to help you succeed in the long run. Motivation can run out pretty quickly, and it’s this dip that often trips people up when making changes to their lifestyles.
Instead of trying to find the motivation, aim to make consistent habits that will help you when the motivation is long gone. You can apply this to various resolutions or changes in your life. Let’s say you want to learn a skill or language or train for a new career. It won’t always be quick, and you won’t see the fruits of your labor immediately. But what will keep you moving forward is doing it regardless of if you have the motivation to do it. Be consistent, dedicate time to your training or lessons, put new habits in place that support what you are doing, and give yourself the tools to keep plowing along until you see the results you want.
Sticking to your New Year’s Resolutions isn’t always easy, and if you really want to make sure you go the distance, these tips can help you do just that.
