Welcome to 2023!
It’s this time of the year when everyone is rushing to set their New Year’s Resolutions, but beware! It can be easy to fall under the spell and excitement of a fresh start and make unattainable goals.
According to Forbes, around 80% of goals for the New Year’s fail.
Here is a guide to help you set realistic New Year’s resolutions and how to achieve them.
Step 1. Analyse and Set Priorities
Look at your lifestyle and analyze areas where you want to improve. Avoid making goals that feed into society’s expectations – make it personal, and choose an area that you feel would help you grow as a person.
Setting priorities is a must. Realistically, many of us have several areas in our lives that we want to improve or fix – and this realization can be overwhelming. But don’t panic! Growth is a journey that takes time – and focusing on a few tasks at a time can help us be more successful and productive.
We then learn from these experiences and apply them to other areas of our lives we wish to improve later on. So, set a priority. Choose a task or goal you feel is most important: stick to it and learn from it.
Step 2. Make Your Goal Specific
Avoid vagueness. By being specific in what goals you set, you can keep yourself accountable while ensuring success and better results.
Suppose your goal is to save money. If one simply states their goals as “I want to save money in 2023”- yes, maybe by the end of the year one has saved some money – but it does not compare to setting a goal like “I want to save 20 euros per month in 2023.”
Having a specific goal helps you plan better – as it makes your resolution concrete.
Step 3. Set a Plan
This is the most difficult – yet most important part of the process. A plan helps to reinforce your resolution and keep you accountable by introducing it to your everyday life.
Grab a paper and write – set a schedule and note down every time you make progress.
Some online tools can help you – for example, using Notion or even your Google Calendar. What is important is to see your growing progress and make sure you follow up.
If we go back to the previous example – a resolution of saving 20 euros per month in 2023, the best way to make a plan is to create a budget. Either by hand or through an online tool – like Excel or Google Sheets – write down the maximum spending for each category – like food, going out, rent, etc. – while keeping in mind the 20 euros you want to save. A budget, or plan, helps you visualize your resolution for the New Year.
Step 4. Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard
Make sure to take breaks to avoid burnout and keep motivated. Sometimes the pressure to succeed can cause stress and frustration – which is why it’s important to remember that growth is a slow process that takes time, you won’t see results immediately. So enjoy this time of self-growth and take the time you feel is necessary!
Perhaps, and maybe most importantly – believe in yourself. If you keep up and don’t give up you can achieve anything you want. Remember this is your year!
