Why do New Year’s resolutions fail?

New Year’s Eve has become more than just a holiday for many of us. We see New Year’s Eve not only as a celebration of the year, but also as a new beginning, a new chance, and that is why we make resolutions. We all have aspects of our lives we want to change and our resolutions are sincere. Yet we often make resolutions in the spirit of celebration and don’t really think about what it will take to achieve them.

Resolutions can be useful for identifying why we are unhappy. But we often don’t think more deeply about the real reasons why we feel unhappy or unfulfilled.

Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail

How many times have you made New Year’s resolutions and which of your resolutions did you actually fulfill? Many New Year’s resolutions fail. Because we are just looking for a new experience and we are not really committed to real change.

It’s easy to say that you want to have a better love life with your partner, but what are you really committed to doing to make that resolution a reality? Do you really just want to spend more time together or do you really want to create a deeper, more meaningful connection?

The truth is that most resolutions are not just a matter of doing something once or twice. Transforming your life requires deep reflection on overcoming and forming new habits. It’s about setting goals and making a specific plan to achieve them.

How New Year’s Resolutions Become Lasting

No New Year’s resolution is possible without a strategy to achieve it. When you streamline your goal-setting process, resolutions, like goals, become more achievable. If you are having difficulty achieving your resolutions, you need to chart a path to reach your goals no matter what. Instead of hardened resolutions, you need a plan. Here’s how to replace resolutions with goals that work.

1- Decide and Promise Yourself to Make a Change

Change does not come easily. It can take months to adopt a new habit, but within a few weeks we give up on our resolutions. This is because we are not really willing to change our lifestyles. No resolution in the world will work for you if you are not in a true change mindset. Decide now that you will change some aspect of your life and then make a promise to yourself to make it happen.

2- Write down your desire

Instead of just deciding to change a behavior, write down your goal. Write it down on paper or in a diary if you have one, not on the computer. Writing something down in a physical notebook can help you remember it better later. Documenting what you want is the best way to get in the right state to achieve your goals. You will be able to really focus on your goal when you see it in front of you.

3- Be Clear on the Reason

You want to make more money but why? Write about this in more detail. Ultimately, do you want to earn more money to better provide for your family or save more to achieve financial freedom?

Understand the real purpose of your goal, not just the short-term outcome you want. When you understand why you want your goal, you will find a way to achieve it even when things get difficult.

4- Start with Faith

It’s okay to have no idea how to achieve your goal when you first start. However, no matter how far along you are in your plan to reach your goal, you must act with a mindset of faith. This is the key to success. Even if you set goals strategically, no decision can be reached without dedication.

If in your mind, achieving your goal becomes an absolute necessity if you have no choice but to achieve it, then nothing else matters. You will do whatever it takes to get there. Sacrifices will be out of the question and excuses will disappear.

5- Never Stop

As you move forward on your journey, know that there will be challenging times. What is the point of making a decision if you are not going to persevere? Don’t give up when you face a setback or when you feel like you have completely failed. Move forward and ask yourself this question: “What will it cost me if I don’t achieve this goal?” Am I missing out on an amazing career opportunity, will I disappoint my children, will I lose a few years, or will I miss out on living the life I want?

6- Celebrate Your Success

By turning New Year’s resolutions into goals, instead of beating yourself up for your shortcomings, you’re acting with a doable mindset. So remember to celebrate every success along the way, even if it’s small. Small steps become enjoyable because you are not burdened with a perfectionist outcome on the horizon. This creates a cycle of success.

There are many tips for fulfilling New Year’s resolutions, but the most important one is this: Don’t tie goals to the new year just because everyone else is doing it. Real change comes when you know your outcome and commit to making your goals a reality. Learning to set and achieve goals is a great habit that few people master in their lifetime. Get everything you want this year and every year by setting goals that matter to you and committing to achieving them.