Our ten tips for making a success of your Resolution are below. Start with how you word it. Make sure you learn from your experience as you go along.
Make your Resolution positive : research shows positive Resolutions have more chance of being kept. Be clear about what you will do, not what you won’t.
Keep it simple : a single goal that’s easy to understand and explain gives you the best chance of success. If you want to change a lot of things, think about a factor that underlies them all. Focus on that factor.
Plan for real : if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Prepare for hard work by breaking down big tasks. Don’t let temptation take you by surprise. And – if you do slip – have a plan for picking yourself up.
Get a buddy to help : simply telling someone you trust increases your chances of making a Resolution stick. A buddy can encourage you, help you pick yourself up… and help you celebrate success. And – be generous! Be someone else’s buddy too.
Model progress, not perfection : think of success in terms of small steps. You don’t need to be perfect, just making progress.
Reflect and review : looking back at how you have done helps you prepare for future success. You can learn from your own experience by reflecting on what happened and why.
Live the dream : practice being the success you want to be. Act like your Resolution is already part of who you are.
Think positive : what you think decides what you do. What you do often enough becomes a habit. Your habits determine who you can become. Successful Resolutions start with positive thoughts.
Celebrate success through the year : reward yourself for doing well. And don’t wait until you get to the end of the year. Give yourself rewards along the way.
Learn from your own experience : as you go on you will understand more about how to make progress. It’s OK to sharpen up your Resolution. You can re-focus it. You can use different words to describe it. And when you achieve it, use the know-how you gain to decide what to tackle next…
