Why New Year Resolutions Don’t Last !
By: Mind Unwind
Tags: Goal Setting, Win, Mindfulness, New Year Resolution

The New Year is just around the corner! For most of us the year 2020 was full of uncertainties we want to leave behind, and yes we are all geared up for welcoming 2021 with open arms.

A New Year is always a fresh start, and it’s that time of the year that we embrace and look forward to all the possibilities that future holds for us.

This is also the time where we plan to change for the better and accordingly set new goals and resolutions for the coming year.

But are we ready to forget the old and embrace the new? Is it that easy?

Not really!

Change has never been easy. The feeling of uncertainty makes us feel afraid and stops us of making changes in our lives. Just the idea of leaving our old habits, people and things make us feel uneasy.

Every year millions of people determine to lose weight, rise up early, have a fitness regime, plan to quit smoking, and so on !

Studies show that 93% of the new year resolutions fail every year, out of which most of them fail as one enters February.

Sometimes our resolutions seem well set, we are all up for it, but suddenly we see ourselves avoiding it … delaying it and finally giving up.

Why does this happen ?? What can we do to make sure that this is not repeated, and what must we do to ensure that we fulfill our resolution… Sounds difficult?? Can we really do it ??

The good news is you can !

However there is a catch — most resolutions are made without thinking much about the execution, and most resolutions fail because the execution is wrong.

The most important part of fulfilling any resolution is by setting realistic goals. Goals helps us align our focus and build new behaviors. Setting goals gives us directions, boosts our confidence and motivates us to keep going.

But before we set a goal it is very important to know whether are we going through any emotional distress.

Emotional distress for keeping up with the resolutions, this can be a simple fear of the outcome, stress, low self esteem, low self confidence and low motivation. Hence it very important to introspect what we are going through and work on it first.

For this one may ask oneself :

“What do I feel if have to start my workout ? Or

“How do I feel when I have to wake up early?”

Will I be lazy ?

Will I be bored ?

Will I procrastinate and go back to sleep?

If one of these questions is true to you then it is important to first work on these unhealthy negative emotions. One must work on them first.

Next step is to work on how to achieve these goals.

Many people work hard but don’t get where they want to because they haven’t spent enough time to understand what they want, and what's their destination. The most crucial part of achieving your resolutions is to make the journey to your destination as realistic as possible and achieving it step by step through a well defined plan.

Is it worthwhile to start a journey without understanding what your destination is ?

The next question:

“How can I set a realistic goal and achieve it ?”

One option is to set a SMART Goal!

S -pecific (Identify the right goal and let it not be vague)

M -easurable (Measure your achievement. Ask how much do you wish to achieve?)

A -ttainable (Keep them short to start with)

R -elevant (It should be important to you)

T -ime Based (Give a time limit)

Set SMART for every goal that you wish to achieve.

Goal 1 # SMART

Goal 2 # SMART

Goal 3 # SMART

And so on ….

The second option is that you can achieve goal by breaking it down in 7 concrete steps with a check list.

So let me explain this concept with an example:

Let’s say one of your goal is go for a jog every morning.

Divide this into seven simple steps:

✔Step 1 :

-Set an Alarm

✔Step 2

-Set your required gear

✔Step 3

-Sleep on time

✔Step 4

-Wake up on the set time

✔Step 5

-Get ready

✔Step 6

-Fill your bottle / carry your headphones

✔Step 7

-Leave for a jog and enjoy the session.

Make sure you check every box when the task is completed. These may sound as very basic and simple steps, but completion of each of these steps would motivate you to go further to the next step.

Plan a small jog the first week as per your comfort and enjoy your walk. You will be able to jog only for 500 meters the first day, but that's perfectly fine… the most important thing is to refrain yourself from pushing your limits the first day, much beyond your capability. This can demotivate you to wake up tomorrow. Just make sure you are progressing as per your speed but progressing — that one extra bit, that small jog, 100 meters extra every single session. You may be surprised that by the end of the second month — you will be comfortably jogging 5 kms every single time.

Remember to do this for every goal, every activity you have been procrastinating or any task that you want to achieve in life — Split it and divide it into simpler and smaller but achievable seven steps.

While you are achieving your success — one step at a time — remember it is equally important to enjoy every small achievement. All these techniques are incomplete if you don’t stop and enjoy every little achievement.

Finally let me ask you this — What's the fun of reaching the destination if you don’t admire the beauty at every stretch of your drive??

_________________________________________________________________

If you still need help, please feel free to contact us on infomindunwind@gmail.com

Author — Suuman K Khanna

Founder — Mind Unwind.