We are knocking on the door of a brand new year which means many people are thinking about New Year’s resolutions. “New Year, New Me!” is the rallying cry of many people vowing to start good habits and ditch old bad habits.
Even so, most people know that the percentage of people who actually accomplish New Year’s resolutions is very small. Forbes estimates that less than 25% of the population are still committed to their resolutions after 30 days. Think that’s bad? Only 8% actually end up accomplishing their goals!
This year, instead of “New Year, New Me” we’re offering you 5 ways to think about the upcoming new year that might help increase the odds of you actually moving the needle on those things you deem important for yourself.
5 Ideas to Try In Place Of “New Year, New Me”
Decide What You Want
This may sound simple enough but there is a catch. Think about what you want, but also think about the price you’ll have to pay to have it. Are you willing to pay that price?
For example, for the longest time, I wanted to be a professional musician. If I’m honest, I’d say I have some mediocre raw talent that could probably be raised a couple of notches by consistent practice.
At one time, I was willing to pay the price of daily practice and total commitment to my instrument. In fact, I even received my BA in Music and toured with a band for a while.
However, as time went on, I found that being a professional musician was no longer a goal. I wasn’t willing to pay the price and that’s okay. Everyone’s goals change as time goes on.
One common goal of many at the start of each new year involves diet and exercise. If increasing your exercise and improving your diet are among your goals, think about what you’re really willing to commit to. So many times we set ourselves up for failure with “all or nothing” thinking. Be real with yourself!
Try Not to Think In Terms of “Resolutions” or “Goals.” Think “Systems” Instead!
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard with respect to goals came from Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams:
“Goal-oriented people exist in a state of continuous pre-success failure at best, and permanent failure at worst if things never work out. Systems people succeed every time they apply their systems, in the sense that they did what they intended to do.”
I was blown away by this idea when I heard it because it made so much sense!
A great personal example of a successful system we established this year involves exercise. Larissa is NOT a fan of exercise and quits the YMCA after several months of basically donating her dues.
Rather than spend any more money on a gym membership she wasn’t going to use, we decided to start walking the dogs at our local duck pond prior to dropping off shipments from our vintage store at the post office.
This system has enabled Larissa to start walking at least 5 days a week!
Find a Support Group
Whether in person or online, setting yourself up with a group of people who “get you” will be CRITICAL to helping you succeed.
If your goal is to run a marathon this year, surround yourself with other runners. Not only can you train together, hanging out with people who share your goals will motivate you and help you stay on track.
One year, I decided that I really needed to improve my health. I signed up with a personal trainer and stopped hanging out with the “happy hour gang” every week. It was a bit challenging at first but I found that substituting one social group for another more aligned with my goals definitely put me well on my way to hitting my target!
Metrics Matter
I’ll admit that I’m not a fan of measuring things but I do know this: what gets measured gets managed.
For example, I recently had some challenges with hitting some of my productivity goals. I bought a simple task tracker app for my phone and started measuring how much time I spent on certain activities. I also kept a journal of my energy levels. Boy was I surprised how much time I was wasting on certain tasks that weren’t moving the needles on any of my goals!
One caveat, though — try not to become obsessive or judgy about it. In other words, don’t use metrics as an opportunity to beat yourself up. This will only discourage you.
Instead, be objective. Imagine you’re a scientist analyzing an experiment. Make corrections as needed but don’t get down on yourself.
Review Results and Adjust!
A big reason people quit on their New Year’s Resolutions is that they don’t see their expected results fast enough (if at all). But wait…don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!
If you spend some time managing metrics and journaling, you might notice patterns that you can adjust to improve your chances of hitting your goals. If exercising in the morning isn’t working for you, try the afternoon or evening. Not ready to be a full-time “raw” vegan? Try slowly incorporating raw foods into your diet instead. Play with different approaches to find your paths to success!
We hope we’ve provided you with a few good tips for how to make your New Year an AMAZING one!
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Further Reading and Resources Used for this Episode:
- This Year, Don’t Set New Year’s Resolutions (Forbes)
- Here’s What Scott Adams Says About Goals (Forbes)
Thanks for listening!
Peace and Veggies,
Vickie and Larissa