New Year's Resolutions Versus Goals

The new year is here and new year’s resolutions are a popular topic right now.  You might be considering setting a new year’s resolution for yourself or maybe you already have.  You want to kick the year off right so you figure a new year’s resolution is a great place to start.  You’re excited, inspired, and motivated to make some big changes this year.  In fact, you’re ready to make this your best year yet!

Improvements

A new year’s resolution is something you want to change in order to improve your life.  Maybe you want to start exercising, stop a bad habit, incorporate a new healthy habit, etc.  Most new year’s resolutions are absolutes where you say you’re going to do something or not do something.  It’s a promise to yourself that you’re going to make it a point to stick to.  You start off strong because you’re so excited and motivated to make this new year’s resolution finally stick.

Big Resolutions

Usually, new year’s resolutions are pretty lofty because you want to see a change quickly.  In all your excitement, you set the bar high with a new year’s resolution that’s already really difficult to stick to.  This is why most new year’s resolutions are given up on because you’re not seeing the progress you had hoped.  It’s tough to immediately stop doing something or start doing something that you’ve never done before.  It’s not in your current daily routine or a normal habit for you.  Your new year’s resolution might even be a bit out your comfort zone.  But, you often don’t realize that when you initially set your new year’s resolution.    

Quitting Resolutions

Other reasons why you quit your new year’s resolution is because you get bored, busy, something else takes priority, or you hit a rough patch and it becomes too difficult to continue.  You start to second guess yourself and wonder why you even set this new year’s resolution to begin with.  The excitement dies off and before you know it, you’re back to your old ways.  Your new year’s resolution gets tossed to the side and there’s just another one you didn’t stick to.  That doesn’t leave you feeling too good about starting the year off on the right foot.

Goal Setting

Instead of setting a new year’s resolution, focus on goal setting.  Set a realistic goal for yourself where you can take small, incremental steps.  Have realistic expectations for your progress.  It’s not going to be easy and it will take you awhile to achieve your goal.  If you fall off track, just decide to pick it back up again and get going.  You don’t need to wait for a new year, month, week, or day to start again.  You can start achieving your goal anytime you want to.

Big Impact

Lastly, there is a deeper meaning behind why you set your goal vs a new year’s resolution.  New year’s resolutions sound great because everyone else is setting one.  But, new year’s resolutions are not as intentional as a setting a goal that’s been tugging at your heart.  A goal is specific and personal to what you want in your own life.  A goal can make a huge impact on changing the trajectory of your life.  Dig deep into what achieving your goal will mean to you.  Find your motivation for when your goal gets difficult to achieve.  Have more reasons to keep going rather than giving up.

Avoid setting a new year’s resolution and focus on setting a goal for yourself instead.  Set realistic expectations and realize that achieving your goal will be hard work.  Everyone encounters obstacles when it comes to trying to achieve something they’ve never done before.  But, it’s up to you to keep yourself motivated and on track to achieving your goal that can change your entire life.  You can set and work to achieve a goal anytime.  You don’t have to wait for a new year to make a resolution to improve your life.