New Year’s Resolutions? Nah. Make New Year’s Goals.

So, I bet you came across this blog post right as you were creating your list of New Year’s Resolutions. If so, I am glad I caught you before you finished. Put the pen down and forget about those promises you made yourself for 2023. Don’t worry. By the end of the post, you will be comfortable letting go the idea of traditional resolutions and creating goals you can actually reach.

Year after year, millions of people establish a physical or mental list of resolutions for the next twelve months. These are often tied to personal growth and development, financial changes and bucket-list items. Here is a list of the top 10 resolutions:

How many of these are on your list? A few more questions to consider. How many of these were on your list during the previous years as well? Did you check any off or did you forget about them by the time March rolled around? These questions may hurt a little when answered honestly, and that’s okay. We have all been there and done that. I’ll be transparent. I am guilty of the ladder. I’ve written a pretty little list of my desires for the new year and barely thought about it after it was created.

We get so caught up in life that even with good intentions, our resolutions get lost in the wind and take the backburner to the demands of life. Before we know it, it’s the end of the year and nothing got completed. We are still in the same spot as we were in January. Feelings of disappointment, failure and delay begin to consume us. “Next year is going to be different”, we say. We then proceed to make different resolutions because we believe the resolutions are the problem. The cycle then repeats itself year after year. That cycle ends today.

In early 2019, I had an epiphany about resolutions as I sat down to create my list. I wanted to travel more, save more money and get my life organized. It suddenly hit me. These statements were so vague!  When was I going to travel? Where to? How often? How much money did I plan to save and by what date? We often fail because resolutions are just desires, not goals. Goals are attainable actions with due dates and realistic timelines. They contain smaller steps that lead up the final destination. You see, goals are more solid than resolutions because we can track our progress and hold ourselves accountable when certain milestones aren’t met. A resolution is just a dream without a plan.

For instance, saying you want to get organized means nothing if you don’t detail what you are organizing, what you need to organize and which date you plan to have it all together. [See my blog post about getting your life together here].  Do you want to travel more? How many flights and hotels have you booked? Which times of the year are best for your vacations? If you want to save money, what are your plans? Have you set a goal amount to obtain by a certain date? Have you changed your spending habits? Are you doing weekly budgeting? These are real questions you must ask yourself as you think about those important things you aspire to accomplish. Your answers will help you create a solid, outlined plan, which will lead to much higher chances of success.

Goal setting requires you to sit down and plan out your year ahead of time. Break it down into sections. What do you want to accomplish by the end of first quarter of the year? Focus on those goals first. If you desire to quit a bad habit early on, set a deadline prior to the end of March. Begin to map out the things you need to do daily and weekly until that end date. Keep your eye on the calendar and push yourself to reach your goal well beforehand. That way, you will have wiggle room and additional time if you run into any bumps in the road.

Once you have achieved your first win, shift your focus to the second quarter. Do you plan to have a summer body that’s ready for that beachside vacation? Set milestones and weight goals for each month leading up to your deadline. Schedule your weigh-in dates and workouts in a planner. It is crucial that you are specific and plan out every detail. In case your current plan isn’t working, you can clearly see the blueprint and adjust as needed. Maybe you need to add an additional day at the gym each week to burn more calories. Take a look at your planner and see what day works best. Keep track of how many more days or weeks you have left to the next weigh in. Being intentional and organized will guarantee successful goal-setting. Also, be sure to schedule in celebratory days for the small wins. Positive feedback and reward, even from yourself, can pump a ton of motivation into your veins to keep going. You’ll need that fuel if you want to cross the finish line.

Remember, you can always add or remove goals. You can adjust the deadlines if you are on track to achieve them sooner or later. However, don’t fall into the trap of procrastination. Don’t push your deadlines back just for the sake of doing so. You should value your desired results so much that you don’t want to delay them. Be passionate about your goals. Think about how and why they are important to your life. Let these thoughts be the drive behind your work.

At the end, not only will you have achieved a major life goal, but the euphoria and gratification you’ll receive from that accomplishment will be life-changing. You’ll be empowered to tackle the next goal with excitement. You’ll have a higher chance of reaching the goal when you enter the challenge with a productive mindset and positive outlook. Next thing you know, it will be December once again. However, this time will be different. You’ll be able to reflect on all your triumphs throughout the year with a huge smile on your face. You’ll be a better version of yourself, which is the overall goal.

So, I challenge you to leave the resolutions behind and begin setting your goals for 2023. No more vague hopes and dreams written in your journal. Instead, turn your desires into planned out ambitions. Your glow up will be real and you will be living the life you want. What do you have to lose? I want to encourage you today: do not waste another twelve months. Make the next year your best year.