How To Stay On Track
8 Tips on Achieving Your New Year’s Resolutions #makingitstickwithpatrick
Everyone has New Year's resolutions, and most people have several of them. However, 88% have major challenges when it comes to making New Year's resolutions stick. I keep hearing about New Year’s resolutions like quitting smoking, living healthier, exercising more, getting washboard abs, getting off the hamster wheel, taking more time for the really important things in life and much more.
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A full 88% (yes! eighty-eight) of all those people who make New Year's resolutions don't manage to implement them. Most of them even fail within the first 14 days. And quite a few people have been making the same New Year's resolution for two or more years and failing every time. It’s already the middle of January. Where do you stand with your New Year’s resolutions? Frustrating, isn't it?
Maybe you feel the same way. I felt the same way for years. But there is also good news, because today I will give you a few tips on how to actually put your New Year's resolutions into action.
Hashtag #makingitstickwithpatrick
This is my hashtag idea for this post. My motto this year is #makingitstickwithpatrick and with this blog I want to help people to implement their New Year's resolutions all year long. Throughout the year I will return to this theme and hashtag #makingitstickpatrick to help you stick to your goals and resolutions. So, if you want to learn more tips and tricks on this topic, then you should stay tuned, a.k.a subscribe to my blog and podcast, and also take the tips of the other participants to heart.
For today, here are my 8 tips for making New Year's resolutions stick
If you follow these 8 tips, chances are you'll be in the 12% of people who make their New Year's resolutions a reality.
Tip 1: Only work on one resolution at a time
Most people don't have just one New Year's resolution, but several. And, of course, they want to implement them all at once. Congratulations, failure is inevitable.
You are one of the real winners if you work on one resolution first, implement it and only then start with the next resolution. So, always focus on just one resolution or goal and avoid the New Year's resolution multitasking strategy at all costs.
Tip 2: Get self-confidence
Especially if you have been failing to implement your New Year's resolutions for years, you should first of all gain the necessary self-confidence. In practice, this means that you should start with your simplest New Year's resolution first.
If you have the choice between the resolutions "quit smoking" and "go for a 15-minute walk every day", then you should first decide on the easier goal and put it into practice. Once you've succeeded, you can start with the next more difficult resolution. Little steps that lead to success go a long way!
Tip 3: Acquire the necessary knowledge
What is the best way to quit smoking? How can you get more exercise? How do you lose weight or get washboard abs? Although most people know what they want, very few know the quickest and easiest way to achieve their goals. This usually requires expert knowledge, and this is rarely available.
When I ask my friends or acquaintances how their New Year's resolution can be achieved, I get at best half-knowledge and beliefs, but rarely a profound strategy behind it.
So, make sure you acquire the necessary expert knowledge first!
Tip 4: Set yourself milestones and benchmarks
The goal of quitting smoking overnight may sound impossible but cutting back from 30 to 25 cigarettes a day may be fairly easy.
It is similar with the goal of doing more exercise. Every year on January 2nd, the New Year's resolution fitness center visitors flood the gyms and train there with an intensity as if they were professional athletes. By mid-January you only see the familiar faces that you see all year round.
The conclusion from this: It only works with small steps and therefore setting milestones is extremely important. So, plan out clearly what you want to achieve by when. However, this plan must also be flexible enough to be able to be adapted to your present situation at any time.
Topics such as goal achievement, milestones, benchmarks etc. are very complex and certainly cannot be dealt with in a single blog article. If you want to learn more about it, then my upcoming course "Never procrastinate" is the best choice for you. Subscribers to this blog will hear first when my course becomes available. Click here to subscribe.
Tip 5: Visualize your goal
Visualizing your goal means nothing more than putting yourself in the situation that you have already achieved your goal. Imagine all the benefits you would have then! What would your life look like then? How would you enjoy your new habits? Imagine it really intensely, project these images in your head and appeal to as many senses as possible! What do you hear? What are you feeling? What do you see? What are you sensing? What do you taste?
Once you've quit smoking, what's your life like? Suddenly you can climb up to the 3rd floor without panting like an old steam train and dripping sweat like Niagara Falls coming down your forehead.
Tip 6: Don't break the chain
Try to turn your New Year's resolution into a habit. To do this, you need to do it regularly, preferably daily. Simply sketch a chain with the individual links. Whenever you have managed to work on your New Year's resolution, you can color in a link in this chain.
If you fail, the chain is broken, and you have to start all over again.
Hang a drawing with your chain in a place where you can easily see it. Best in the toilet, in the bathroom or on the fridge. This will always remind you to work on your new resolution and motivate you not to break the chain.
To learn more how to use the chain method check out this video. It’s not mine but will help you get my drift.
Tip 7: Be accountable
Announce your New Year's resolution, share interim results and whether or not you were able to achieve your New Year's resolution. Yes exactly, you share everything, it doesn't matter whether you succeed or not.
It doesn't matter whether you do it on Instagram, on Facebook or simply tell friends, acquaintances, relatives and colleagues. The main thing is that as many people as possible know about it.
On one hand, this creates commitment and, on the other, it is extremely motivating. Who wants to share that they have not achieved their goal?
Tip 8: Find like-minded people
Working together on a goal or on your New Year's resolutions is twice as much fun. If at all possible, look for a partner with whom you can do things together. This not only motivates, but you can also support each other and, if necessary, get you out of a low.
Conclusion for your New Year’s resolutions
Anyone can achieve their New Year's goals and resolutions, you just have to know how. With these tips, it shouldn't be a problem for you, and certainly not if you get more tips from #makingitstickwithpatrick.
Of course, you will also be well served with my upcoming "Never procrastinate again" course to work on those things that you may have been putting off all your life. Don’t forget to subscribe here to my blog and podcast.
Among other things, you get the template for the perfect daily plan, a checklist for daily planning, with my to-do and not-to-do list and many other downloads.
In addition, I will constantly keep you informed about my upcoming blogs and podcasts, new templates, checklists, and upcoming online courses. All you have to do is sign up with your email address here. As a thank you, you will receive my 7 Days of Wellness email series to start you on your journey for a healthier and happier life.
How to deal with setting yourself up for success in the new year and lead a happy family life, I will show you in my upcoming podcast.
For now, I wish you every success in implementing your New Year's resolutions!
Enjoy your day!
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