Do develop coping strategies ahead of time to deal with problems that certainly will come up later. Do keep track of track of your progress. The more monitoring you do and feedback you get, the better you will do. Resolutions are a process, not a one-time effort, that offer people a chance to create new habits. Even if people are successful, they need to follow-up on their behavior.
Persistence also can pay off.
While people normally make multiple resolutions, last year's study indicated that only 40 percent of people who achieved their No. 1 resolution did so on their first attempt. The rest required multiple attempts, with 17 percent finally reaching their goal after more than six tries. Marlatt, who has looked at the topic of resolutions for more than 20 years, believes it's important to look at the process of making behavior changes and New Year's resolutions in a positive light. Take credit for success when you achieve a resolution, but don't blame yourself if you fail. Instead, look at the barriers that were in your way.