This is the time of year when people make New Year’s resolutions. We all know that most of them are doomed to failure. There are some reasons why that happens. That means that there are some ways to make them more likely to be successful.
One issue is that people tend to make too many resolutions. That means when they fail on some they just abandon the others. There should be a very limited number of resolutions. If you keep them, you could always add more later.
The next step is to think about the reasons for making that particular change. If you just pick something without a good reason, it may not have the necessary urgency. Think about what the results of that change will be in the long run. That is the ultimate goal, not the change itself. Think about what it will take to reach that particular goal. Just saying it is a goal without a plan for achieving it is not that useful.
Once you have reached that point, there is way to go about achieving the goals. The method is called the SMART method.
The S stands for specific. You need to include detailed plans. For example a goal of losing weight is not specific. There should be some specific new dietary measures that will be taken. They do not need to be a brand new diet. All they need to do is cut out some high calorie foods from the diet.
The M stands for measurable. Saying that I am going to stop something completely only gives you a single measuring point. It is more reasonable to say that you are going to cut down on some things one day per week for a month. If you reach that goal, you can make it two days per week for the next month. It will be easier to do if you have had a month of practice.
The A stands for achievable. Picking a goal that is too broad or too complex is often doomed to failure. You need to know that it is indeed something that you can do. It is somewhat like making a wish for world peace. Starting small allows you to take on bigger things the next time.
The R refers to realistic. This is related to achievable. If a goal is not realistic, then it makes it too hard to accomplish.
The T stands for time-bound. This is like a mile marker. Set the goals for a specific period of time. If that works, you can set a new end point.
It is easier to reach a goal if you have a specific plan. It is also SMART to do so.