New Year Resolutions

I’d like to share an original article sent in by Jim Shipperlee:

At the beginning of 2009, literally millions and millions of New Year Resolutions will have been made around the world. However, research has shown that by the end of the year only 12% of these will be achieved.

The reason why 88% of all New Year Resolutions will not be achieved is because they are incorrectly set. Research has shown that if goals are set in the right way, the probability of success increases significantly. According to itcanbe.com, the leading goal community, there are three key steps which will maximize your chances of achieving your resolutions this year.

1. The first step to achieving resolutions is to clearly identify them and put them in writing. The way that you identify and write your goals will affect the likelihood of their success. When writing your goals, consider the following:

• Make your resolution specific. ‘I want to lose weight’ is a general resolution. A general resolution is weak; it does not provide clarity or inspire motivation and, as a result, is unlikely to be achieved – especially to the desired extent. ‘I want to lose 10lbs’ is a specific resolution. A specific resolution gives a definite aim; it brings the target into focus and, as a result of this, is much more likely to succeed.
• Make your resolution realistic. Make it achievable. A resolution which is too ambitious can be de-motivating if you feel that it is out of reach. A resolution which is too easy will also fail to motivate, it will lack challenge. Make your resolution challenging but attainable.
• Give your resolution a deadline. A deadline is the one thing which separates a resolution from a dream. A resolution without a deadline is far less likely to inspire immediate action and, as a result, is unlikely to succeed. By setting a time limit on your resolution you inspire action towards the outcome, you bring it alive.

2. Set a plan. A resolution or goal without a plan is merely a wish. Surprisingly few people set plans, in fact research has shown that only 3% of people who set resolutions have a formal plan of how they are going to achieve it. Given this statistic, it is of little wonder that only 12% of New Year Resolutions will be achieved.

A plan allows the resolution to be broken down into smaller manageable steps. Not only will this provide clarity on how your resolution will be achieved, it will also make it appear more attainable. Start your plan by focusing on the end result and the intended deadline and work backwards to determine what actions need to be performed at what times. From this you can create a plan and ‘to-do’ list which, once followed, will guarantee success.

3. Find other people working towards the same resolution. Research has shown that when people work together with the same objective, not only will their motivation increase but they will be able to share their knowledge and experience which has been proven to vastly speed up attainment of the end result.

Setting effective goals needs a little more thought and time upfront, but your efforts in doing this will be well rewarded. One site which is definitely worth a mention is www.itcanbe.com, a community based goal setting site. This site is a free resource which provides users with tools allowing them to clearly establish their goals and set a detailed plan of working towards them. It will also link users to other people working towards the same goals.