5 Tips to Set New Year's Resolutions That Stick

The start of a new year is a great time to set intentions and resolutions. It’s an opportunity to assess what worked well over the past year and areas that could use some improvement.

Most people struggle to stick with their resolutions for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s too vague, too unrealistic, or simply too challenging, it’s easy to give up and then feel disappointed or even angry at yourself.

The good news is that there are ways to choose New Year’s resolutions that you can actually follow through on to get the results you’re hoping for. The key is setting them up in a specific way so you’re more likely to stick to them.

Read on to find out how you can set New Year’s resolutions that stick.

Tie the goal to something meaningful

It’s not enough to say you want to learn a new skill or hobby, or get healthy, or anything else if you’re not entirely sure why you’re doing it.

Make sure that when you’re deciding what to commit to, you clarify why this resolution is important to you.

It seems obvious, but this is a step that is often neglected or taken for granted. Think about specific reasons it’s important to you to make sure it’s not something you think you “should” do.

“Should” creates an obligation, and obligations are a chore. Chores aren’t very fun or motivating. Instead, see if you can reframe your resolution into a project.

Clarifying the deeper meaning underlying your project gives you the option of choosing what’s more important to you whenever you don’t feel like it.

Because you may not always feel like following through on a resolution you’ve set, but you can choose to engage in it anyway because it means something to you.

Related: 10 Life-Changing Books to Read

Make it specific and action-Based

Making your resolutions too vague or outcome-based is a big reason most resolutions fail.

Once you’ve decided what you’d like to work on, check that it’s specific enough and clearly defines the actions you need to take.

For instance, “get healthy” is way too vague and there are any number of actions involved in healthy living.

Consider what health means to you and what specific behaviors align with being healthier.

Getting specific on your actions also means it’s measurable. A vague, nebulous concept that’s hard to define is also hard to commit it. Set yourself up for success by getting as specific as possible!

Create Smaller Goals

Instead of creating something for the whole year, try breaking down larger goals into more manageable, smaller goals.

You may find that you prefer quarterly or monthly goals that tie into a larger intention for the year.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

If your New Year’s Resolution is to write a book, you may want to have a monthly goal of writing at least a few minutes every day. At the end of the month, do a quick check-in to see your progress and troubleshoot any issues.
If you want to get healthier, you might set a goal to walk or move your body for at least 20 minutes per day and check in every so often to see how it’s going.
If you want to learn a new hobby or skill, set a small goal to practice each day or a certain amount of times per week.

These small goals are much easier to tackle and create less pressure than a big end-of-year outcome. It also makes them measurable enough to do a weekly check-in to see how you’re progressing and whether you need any additional resources or support.

Get an accountability partner

While sharing your goals with others can help motivate you to stay committed, it’s often not enough to merely tell people.

To follow through, most people need to be held accountable.

Pick a friend or loved one that also wants to commit to a new habit or resolution and be each other’s accountability partner. Set parameters for how you’ll stay in touch and how you’ll encourage each other.

I recommend setting up a schedule for regular check-ins so you both stay committed to following through on your resolution. If one or both of you starts to slip, it’s an excellent chance for some compassion and encouragement.

If you find these meetings start to become few and far between, re-engage with why you chose this resolution in the first place and see if you can recommit. If your accountability partner isn’t as committed, you may need to find someone else.

Give yourself a break when you stumble

Remember that if you hit a stumbling block and give up, you can always course correct by re-engaging with your resolution.

You won’t lose any of your previous progress because you’ll have gained valuable experience and insight.

You’ll be able to pinpoint what derailed you and put together a new cope ahead plan to offset any potential issues for next time.

No amount of effort is ever truly wasted, even if it feels that way.

No matter what, make sure you’re being patient, compassionate, and encouraging! These are 3 qualities that will help you stay committed and make it an enjoyable process, rather than an annoying chore.

Use these steps to set yourself up for a mindfully productive year! If at any point you start slipping or lose motivation, remember to be kind to yourself. It takes at least two months for new habits to stick, so give yourself a break if you struggle to implement.

For more help creating and maintaining new habits, check out my other post: How to Build Healthy Habits (and Stick to Them).