Stick With Your Resolutions All Year Long
January 11, 2010, 10:26 am
Advice on keeping your resolutions going after most people would have given up.
The beginning of a New Year is seen by many as a natural time to make resolutions to change their lives. Unfortunately, New Year's resolutions are also notorious for being broken quickly. A British study found that people who attempted various resolutions gave up as quickly as five days into the New Year. Some lasted as long as six weeks, but like most, they ultimately failed to keep the resolutions they'd made.
In fact 78% of people failed to achieve success.
Because 25% of people resolve to pay off debt, we want to see more people succeed when they make a resolution. Here are some ideas to help you keep the resolution going after your willpower falters:
1. Break your resolution down into simple steps. This is crucial. Set a goal, and map out the steps you'll take to achieve that goal. This is why so many people benefit from credit counseling without enrolling in a Debt Management Plan. The free counseling session helps them create an action plan to get started on their journey to financial freedom.
2. Track your success. Keep a log, or budget, or some record of your goals and how well you're doing in working toward them. Don't be afraid to adjust the goals if you find they are not attainable. Changing your resolution after a few weeks is much better than giving up altogether.
3. Tell others. If you're comfortable sharing your goals and resolutions with others, do so. Many people find that the social pressure to succeed helps them be more successful. Some people even use social networking sites to record their progress; if they fall behind or fail, their friends can comment to offer advice and encouragement.
4. Focus on success. Too many people obsess about the consequences of failing to achieve their goals. Instead, focus on succeeding with each step you've laid out for yourself. You might even want to create a system of rewards for yourself when you achieve a goal. Anything you can do to create incentives for success should be considered.
2. Track your success. Keep a log, or budget, or some record of your goals and how well you're doing in working toward them. Don't be afraid to adjust the goals if you find they are not attainable. Changing your resolution after a few weeks is much better than giving up altogether.
3. Tell others. If you're comfortable sharing your goals and resolutions with others, do so. Many people find that the social pressure to succeed helps them be more successful. Some people even use social networking sites to record their progress; if they fall behind or fail, their friends can comment to offer advice and encouragement.
4. Focus on success. Too many people obsess about the consequences of failing to achieve their goals. Instead, focus on succeeding with each step you've laid out for yourself. You might even want to create a system of rewards for yourself when you achieve a goal. Anything you can do to create incentives for success should be considered.
Even with all of these strategies, not everyone will succeed in sticking to their resolutions, but your chances for success will double if you try all of the strategies outlined above.
Many people dismiss New Year's resolutions as a waste of time, but anything that gets you thinking about ways to improve yourself is a good thing. And if you ultimately fail, think about where you went wrong and record your thoughts in your log. You can evaluate your performance, modify your goals, and try again. And again, until you find success. It doesn't have to be January 1st for you to resolve to have a better life.
If you need help creating a budget or coming up with ideas to save money, check out our materials page and download any of our free seminar materials, including the "Power of Paycheck Planning" booklet. This seminar is our most popular and will teach you about tracking expenses and creating a spending plan. If you'd like something more interactive than a .pdf booklet, try the online course at our FIT Academy.
And if your resolution involves improving your credit score, be sure to check out the "Consumer Guide to Good Credit" on our materials page, or the "Understanding Your Credit Report" seminar in the FIT Academy.
