Every January, people promise themselves all sorts of things: waking up earlier, getting better grades, or suddenly becoming a new person. By February, most of these goals have been long gone and forgotten. These New Year’s resolutions don’t fail because people don’t care, but more so because they’re unrealistic. The key to sticking to your goals is changing how you approach them!
- Start SMALL
One of the biggest mistakes that people make is setting goals that are way too extreme to tackle without taking smaller steps. For example, one of your resolutions might be to turn your grades around completely; it sounds motivating yet hard to measure. Instead, start with small goals like “I’m going to review my notes for 20 minutes after school 3 days a week,” or “I’m going to start my assignments the day they are assigned.” Breaking down goals makes them more manageable and easier to follow through with!
- Focus on CONSISTENCY instead of PERFECTION
Many people give up on their resolutions after one mistake, after getting that “there’s no way this is going to work out” feeling. Understanding that working things into your routine takes time and effort helps to get rid of that pressure to achieve your goals with perfection on the first try. Progress rarely happens without setbacks, so take it slow and work towards it regularly without setting standards that are too high.
- Connect to your DAILY life
Resolutions are much easier to keep when they naturally fit into your routine. Rather than making a goal that requires a major schedule change, look for ways to fit it into your daily habits. For example, if you want to review notes daily, try to do it right after you get home from school before any other plans take place—that way you won’t have to find free time for it. When you connect a resolution to your daily routine, it becomes automatic and a part of your day rather than a task to remember.
These are only a few tips to stick to your New Year’s resolutions. What’s most important to remember is that goals are achieved with progress, not perfection. Realistic goals (ones you fit into your routine and stay consistent and flexible with) can turn into habits that last. When you focus on these manageable changes, you can create a system of success all year long!
