How To Make And Keep New Year's Resolutions

Alexander Kharlamov:

Identify the Right Goals

New Year’s Resolutions are supposed to be goals that you can achieve in one year. So “quit smoking” or “lose 20 lbs” are definitely a good example. However, “become a black belt in karate” is NOT a good NYR if your martial arts training up to this point has been limited to watching “Enter the Dragon” on the couch.

“Become a billionaire” is another example of unrealistic NYR if you’re getting a 40K/year salary with 100 grand in student loans. While those goals are certainly achievable by hard work, it will definitely take more than a year to attain.

Add Actions to Goals

Without following through, NYR’s are just empty words. You must put in effort to see results. You must come up with a concrete plan of action for every NYR on your list. If you write your NYG as something vague like “lose weight”, you’re not going to be too motivated to follow through.

Separate your NYR list from your ToDo list. If your New Year’s Resolution to lose weight includes an action to “buy gym membership”, take it off your NYR list and put it on your ToDo list – and then, of course, execute it.

Remind Yourself Regularly of Your Resolutions

First, you have to put the list you just wrote someplace you can easily find it. File it under “New Year’s Resolutions, 2009”, put it in your wallet, or anywhere else that you like, but make sure that if you get the urge to see it in June, you can easily find it.

Next, you have to make sure your resolution stays visible. This is probably the most important advice you can ever read about NYR’s. Create a note that will always get in the way when you’re most likely to need it. Be creative. If your goal is to eat healthier, stick a note on your fridge. This way, you’ll be reminded every time you’re about to get some food.

If one of your NYR’s is to stop procrastinating so much by reducing the mindless surfing of the net, make your homepage a reminder. You can use this page or use Google Customized home page.

Hmm... now why does that last statement seem a little too applicable?

(HT Lifehacker)