Make a New Year’s Resolution…and Stick With It!

On January 1st, everyone gets to start the year with a clean slate. We promise ourselves that we’ll start saving, or that we’ll finally start eating healthier. But come February, we’re back to the daily splurges and snacking on chips and cookies. The resolution that we made with every good intention, is easily abandoned.

Why is it so hard to keep a New Year’s resolution?

One of the main reasons is that we put it off until tomorrow…and tomorrow, we put it off until the next day…again and again. Resolutions tend to be broad, with no definable goal, with a long timetable: I’m going to start saving this year. There’s no mention of how you’re going to do it, or why you’re doing it. And with a year-long time frame, you have a lot of time to put it off until tomorrow. It’s no wonder that most resolutions are broken!

Make this year different.

This year, instead of adopting the typical New Year’s resolution, go back to basics by identifying Who, What, How, When and Why of your goal. Not only will this seem more attainable, but it will also allow you to celebrate your victories sooner!

Let’s look back at our earlier example…

I’m going to start saving this year.

Instead, try being more specific about what you want to do and how you’re going to do it, and give yourself a shorter time frame: I’m going to put $1 in a jar every day to save for my daughter’s education.

This is a much more achievable resolution. Let’s break it down to see why:

Who: You are going to…
What: Save money by…
How: Putting $1 in a jar
When: Every day in order to…
Why: Save for my daughter’s education

 

By bringing it back to the basics (Who, What, How, When, and Why), you’re able to make a more achievable resolution; one that you can celebrate each day as you see the money add up! Use the guidelines outlined above to create your resolutions!

Written by Sarah Way


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