How to Stay Committed to Your New Year’s Resolutions

Are you someone who sticks to your New Year’s goals for one week or for the whole twelve months? 

The idea of goal-setting always comes around during the New Year, and it is a running joke that most people do not stick to their goals. How can you be the person who changes this for yourself? 

After all, goal-setting is an important, healthy practice that can help motivate people to become better versions of themselves. 

Existential psychologist Victor Frankl believes that striving to reach different goals is one of the very things that gives us purpose. When we have a goal, tension is created because we have not fulfilled it yet, so we find purpose while working to relieve this tension and find satisfaction in meeting the goal! The most beautiful thing about goal-setting is that you do not have to wait for the New Year, but you can do it any day of the year! 

One of the best ways to ensure that you stick to achieving your goals is to create SMART goals. A SMART goal is explained below: 

S - Specific. Make sure your goals are clear and defined in a way that makes sense to you. Clarity is key! For example, instead of saying you want to “be healthier” this year, you can make it a goal to “run multiple times a week.” 

M - Measurable. How will you know once you have completed the goal? Continuing with the example above, you might say that you want to “run for 30 minutes, 4 days a week.” 

A - Achievable. Is the goal that you set realistic when you look at everything else you are doing in your life? If you set something too difficult to attain, you likely will feel unnecessary stress and discouragement when you find this goal is not achievable. 

R - Relevant. Are your goals in line with your values? Is this something you will be passionate about working towards?

T - Time-bound. Create an end date for your goal. When you have a date you want to achieve your goal by, you will be more motivated to complete it so you can be proud of yourself when this date arrives. 

After you have created your SMART goal(s), do not forget one of the most necessary steps to the goal-setting process: creating an action plan! Write down specific days and times you will set aside to complete this goal. Find an accountability partner, tell your therapist, pray, journal, or do whatever you need to do to ensure that you meet your goals. Here’s to setting goals you actually meet, instead of just forgetting about them and letting them wither away. You might even find an increased sense of purpose along the way.