Your goal is too broad
Vowing to spend less, for example, is a wise but rather nebulous goal: Spending a penny less a day would make you successful, but it wouldn’t do you much good if, say, you were trying to build up a sizeable nest egg. “No change happens until your intentions and your goals are translated into behaviors. Devise realistic and specific resolutions. So if your aim is to “save more,” set out to save $20 a week; if you want to feel more grateful, write daily about what makes you smile. “Focusing on the process rather than on the result will help you stay inspired.”
No one’s got your back
Did you tell anyone you were trying to be more eco-conscious or exercise more? If not, you may have set yourself for a slip. “You’re more likely to make good on promises when others can hold you accountable.” So seek support from your friends and loved ones: Organize a carpool with coworkers to be good to the planet; add exercise to your schedule by meeting a neighbor for walks on set mornings. Chances are your friends will need your support keeping their own resolutions!
Everything else is the same
Maybe you’ve decided to cut calories, but your biggest temptation—mint chocolate chip frozen yogurt—is still calling your name from its usual spot on the top freezer shelf. Or you’re nixing cigarettes but continue to sip coffee in your favorite smoking chair. Those reminders of old habits are only making it harder to change, but switching up the scenery will help you stay the course. Behavior is often shaped more by our environment than pure willpower. Decide to eat your favorite frozen yogurt only when you’re at the ice cream shop, rather than spooning the treat out of the carton while watching TV, and move your smoking chair to a less cozy spot in the house.
There’s no backup plan
Hey, slip-ups happen to the best of us (and 75 percent of those who set New Year’s resolutions, remember?). But it’s not the lapse that matters most—it’s how you deal with it. “Successful goal getters use setbacks as motivation to recommit.” When a misstep happens, identify what caused it (you skimped on sleep, which made you snappish when you were trying to keep your temper in check) and use it as a learning opportunity to help you stay strong the next time and throughout the year (get to bed on time!). Then just get back on track.
You didn’t allow wiggle room
Specific goals are good; break-it-and-you-fail resolutions, not so much. No one can exercise every single day (your body needs a day or two off a week to recoup, and the flu happens, people!), and swearing off chocolate for the rest of your life will only make you want it more. When you set the bar so high it’s impossible to reach, failure is, well, inevitable. Build in some flexibility to your plan, so that when life gets tough—or your best friend want to split dessert on her birthday—you can still achieve your goal.
For a healthy start this year check out our Wellness Program and Nutritional Supplements.
