New Year's Resolutions - failed already?

Have your New Year's resolutions failed already?

Every year, millions of people make New Year's resolutions with the best of intentions and in the hopes of improving their lives and becoming the best versions of themselves. These resolutions often include goals like losing weight, quitting smoking, or learning a new skill. However, research suggests that the majority of people who make New Year's resolutions will ultimately fail to achieve them.??

The Forbes article, "The Science Behind New Year's Resolutions" cites several studies on New Year's resolutions, including one that found that only about half of people who make resolutions stick to them for more than a month.

According to a study by the University of Scranton, only 8% of people actually achieve their New Year's resolutions. Adding to that, a study by John Norcross, Richard Kane, and Joseph LaCrosse, titled "New Year's Resolutions: A Statistical Analysis of Failure" analyzed data from over 3,000 people and also found that only about 8% of people achieved their resolutions.

Both these studies show that a staggering 92% of people who make resolutions ultimately fail to achieve them.?

So, if you have made such 'resolutions', chances are that by now, most of them, if not all, have failed. But don’t be too dejected, as it’s better that we know why so many resolutions fail and what can we do about it.

Why they fail

One of the main reasons that resolutions fail is that they are often too vague and unspecific. People often make decisions like "lose weight," "save money," or "get in shape," without any concrete plan for how to achieve them. This lack of specificity makes it difficult to track progress and stay motivated and can lead to frustration and disappointment.

Another reason that resolutions fail is that they are often too ambitious. Many people set overly-optimistic goals for themselves, which can be difficult to achieve and may require significant lifestyle changes. This can be overwhelming and lead to burnout or a sense of failure.

So what can we do instead? One solution is to focus on setting ‘Goals’ instead of resolutions.?

Goals instead of resolutions

Goals are different from resolutions in that they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). By setting SMART goals, you can increase your chances of success and avoid the pitfalls of vague and overly-ambitious resolutions.

For example, instead of setting a resolution to "lose weight," you could set a goal to "lose 5 KGs in the next three months by exercising for 30 minutes at least three times per week and eating a healthy, balanced diet." This goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, which makes it more likely to be successful.

By focusing on setting SMART goals instead of resolutions, you can increase your chances of success and achieve the positive changes you want in your life.

Another reason is that people often don't have a clear plan for achieving their goals. For example, someone who wants to buy a new home might simply say, "I need to find a job with a better salary." But without a specific plan for how they will do that, they just dream in vain, only to be depressed at the end of the year that they could not achieve that.

Finally, people often lack the motivation and commitment needed to stick with their decisions. It's easy to feel motivated and excited at the beginning of the year, but as time goes on, it can be difficult to stay focused and committed.

So, to summarise, here are a few tips to increase your chances of success:

1. Set realistic goals: Instead of setting a lofty goal like running a marathon, set smaller, more achievable goals that will help you work towards your larger goal.
2. Create a plan: Instead of simply saying you're going to eat healthier and exercise more, create a specific plan for how you will do that. This might include joining a gym, meal prepping, or finding a workout buddy.
3. Stay motivated: Find ways to stay motivated and committed to your goals. This might include tracking your progress, rewarding yourself for hitting milestones, or finding a supportive community of people who are also working towards similar goals.

?Why wait for New Year? Today's the day.

Another point for us to consider is why do we need to wait for the New Year to decide our goals for the year. While the start of a new year is often seen as a natural time to set goals, the truth is that we don't need to wait until January 1st to start working towards our goals. In fact, there are several reasons why waiting for the New Year to make goals for ourselves may not be the best approach:

1. Time is precious: Every day, week, and month is an opportunity to work towards our goals. If we wait until the New Year to set goals, we may be missing out on valuable time that could be spent making progress.
2. The New Year can be overwhelming: Starting a new year with a long list of resolutions can be overwhelming, and it can be easy to lose motivation as the year goes on. By setting smaller, more achievable goals throughout the year, we can avoid feeling overwhelmed and stay focused on our progress.
3. Life happens: We can't predict what the future holds, and waiting until the New Year to set goals can be risky. Unexpected events can happen at any time, and if we're not prepared to adapt and adjust our goals, we may find ourselves feeling discouraged and defeated.
4. Goals are not one-size-fits-all: Goals should be tailored to our individual needs and priorities, and waiting for the New Year to set goals can limit our ability to make changes that are relevant to our current situation.

Ultimately, the best time to set goals is whenever we feel ready and motivated to do so.?There is no better day than TODAY!

By taking a proactive approach to our goals and making changes as needed throughout the year, we can maximize our chances of success and achieve the growth and progress we desire.

Let me know your thoughts.