How’s your New Year’s resolution coming? Remember how important it was to you when you made it? You promised yourself that this year’s resolution wouldn’t end up like those in the past –– another broken promise to yourself. So, what happened? Are you following through on your promise or have you given up on it, like so many others?

What can we learn from this scenario? Can this lesson be applied to other areas of your life? The fact is, anyone can set a goal; winners have the passion and determination to see it through.

New Year’s Resolutions (Another Make-and-Break Year?)

Twelve factors are instrumental to keeping your New Year’s resolution –– as well as other personal goals set throughout the year.

Ambition. Set high expectations, but make sure that your goal is simple, realistic, and achievable. The truth is, some people set the bar so low you can trip over their accomplishments.

Commitment. If you’re not willing to make a serious commitment, your goal is nothing more than a wish. So either make it happen or dream on.

Confidence. If you don’t believe in yourself, you’ve lost before you’ve started. Build confidence and momentum by achieving small, short-term wins.

Stay positive. Attitude is everything. Don’t let small stumbles get you down. Surround yourself with positive people; their energy is contagious.

Passion. Dive into your pursuit rather than dipping your toe in the water. If you make a half-hearted attempt, your story won’t have a happy ending.

Focus. Concentrate all your energy on achieving your goal. Don’t spread yourself too thin or allow yourself to get sidetracked. It’s better to achieve just one goal than to talk a good game on many fronts but accomplish nothing.

Effort. Nothing important was ever achieved without significant effort and sacrifice. Hard work is habit-forming, but so is quitting. Remember, it’s better to go halfway than to quit at the starting line.

Measurement. Track your progress. Doing so will provide you with instant feedback on whether to charge forward or to change course. It will also provide a much-needed kick in the a$$.

Support. Tell a close friend what you’re planning to do. Keeping a friend up-to-date adds gentle pressure to follow through on your plan.

Determination. Be strong and accept personal responsibility for the outcome. The more reliant you are on others, the less reliant you are on yourself. Willpower is nothing more than desire at work.

Pride. Do your best; nothing less. If you don’t reach your goal, you can take comfort knowing that you gave it your all.

Be true to yourself. Don’t let yourself down. If you quit today, you’ll make it too easy to let yourself down again tomorrow.

It’s Time to Renew Your New Year’s Resolution

Making a New Year’s resolution is a wonderful way to reflect on the past year and find a few ways to step up your game.  It doesn’t matter whether your New Year’s resolution is a small or large undertaking; the key is that you’re promising yourself to do your best to achieve your goal. That doesn’t mean making an attempt; it means getting it done.

People will find creative ways to abort any mission. It may take the form of a lame excuse, a reason to procrastinate, blaming someone for standing in the way, or complaining that the challenge is insurmountable. If this happens to your New Year’s resolution, the bottom line is that you’re quitting. And when you quit enough times, you’ve become a quitter. Is that what you want? The alternative is refreshing. Every time you set a goal and achieve it, it becomes that much easier to reach the next goal. That’s because achieving any goal is as much about the journey as it is the end result. As Zig Ziglar, the motivational speaker, said, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” So remember why you made your New Year’s resolution in the first place and get going. It’s never too late to keep a promise to yourself.

Do You Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions?

Additional Reading:
A Promise is a Promise
Don’t Quit: Make Winning a Habit
The Power of a Positive Attitude
If You’re Not Proud, You’re Not Done
25 Thoughts for the New Year
Food For Thought: 30 Ideas for the New Year

If you like this article, subscribe to our blog so that you don’t miss a single post. Get future posts by RSS feed, email or Facebook. It’s FREE.