Even the Simplest New Year’s Resolutions Can Change Your Life

“Now there are more overweight people in America than average-weight people. So overweight people are now average. Which means you’ve met your New Year’s resolution.” 

Jay Leno

 

It is important to make New Years Resolutions, because people are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals if they set measurable goals and New Year’s resolutions are one way to accomplish the pursuit of self-satisfaction and happiness. Only forty-five percent of all Americans will make a New Years Resolution on n annual basis. Thirty nine percent of the population will never make a New Years Resolutions.

The percent of people who achieve their goals is a paltry eight percent. However, almost half (49%) of us experience partial success in the pursuit of our goals. Goal-orientated people live longer, make more money and are significantly happier.

Achieving Success

There are some tried and true principles associated with success as noted by many behavioral experts.

1. Your goals should be measurable and should be broken down into smaller goals. Your first subgoals should not take more than 10-14 days to achieve. Too many of the goals listed above, are too vague in terms of measuring successful attainment.

2. Reward yourself for reaching milestones. Write out the plan.

3. Keep the goal simple by holding it to a single dimension.  Some goals need to be divided into two simultaneous subgoals. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you will want to cut calories as well as increase activity level. Both are separate goals and should be treated as such.

4. Activities in pursuit of your goals should contain fun activities. Therefore, you should schedule time each week for things you enjoy. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing interest in the goal and giving up.

5. Focus on changing yourself instead of the world around you.

6. Realize that you are going to have setbacks in the pursuit of a goal. The person who achieves success has an average of three relapses, or setbacks. It is part of the process. Do not beat yourself up. When you have a relapse, tell yourself that it is part of the process and go back to your plan.

7. Some goals should be important to your overall life. Take a moment and write down what you would do if you only had six months to live. Do those things, perfect those skills and most of all, have fun!

From The Common Sense Show, we wish all of you a Happy New Year and may you realize your dreams and potential in 2015!