Well, we’re about a month into the new year and hopefully your resolutions are going great! Although, at this point, it is typical for people to lose steam and begin to give up on the goals that they set. There are many reasons that people may give up, and the first step of fixing the problem is identifying it.
Sometimes resolutions fail because people attempt them alone, so they lack the support that they need to stay invested in making changes. On the other hand, maybe people were just too ambitious with their goals, and they seem unattainable. Whatever the reason may be, don’t give up just yet.
Instead of setting one huge goal, you should set benchmarks for yourself along the way. For instance, you may have set a goal to lose 20 pounds by the end of the year; in order to keep yourself on track, you may track your progress and instead aim to lose five pounds every three months. This seems much more attainable. Remember to reward yourself when you reach these benchmarks. The positive reinforcement will keep you motivated and on track.
This goes hand in hand with tracking your progress. In order to be motivated to put in work, many people like to see some sort of progress to prove that their efforts are paying off. Make sure you keep track of this progress, whether it’s in the form of writing in a journal or taking frequent progress pictures; the method of tracking may simply depend on what your resolution is.
Additionally, allow yourself to fail or fall behind. We’re not expected to be perfect. It’s easy to get off track or let other priorities take place. That’s okay because things happen and life gets busy. What is important is to be resilient and get back on track. Taking a break from your goals to give yourself some rest is much more beneficial than simply throwing in the towel. For instance, let’s say that you gave up drinking soda, but you give in to temptation and order one when you’re out to dinner. That’s completely fine because no one is expected to quit cold turkey. Instead, make sure you start again the next day and try, instead of giving up because of one slip up.
Another major point that can lead to your failure or success is your mindset. If you set out with a goal in mind but treat it as a chore rather than something where you enjoy the progress, then you’re less likely to complete it. Why would you force yourself to do something you don’t want to do? Instead, find ways to make your goal fun and rewarding so that it’s something you look forward to doing instead of something that you dread. One way to help your mindset is to ask yourself why you chose this certain resolution. You know what you strive to accomplish, but why? How will accomplishing your goal better your life?
Whether your resolution already feels like a lost cause or you’ve just had a few slip ups, it’s never too late to try again. We like to use the new year as an excuse to start new goals, but in reality we can treat every day as a new opportunity to better ourselves. Whatever the case may be, don’t give up and keep trying; before you know it, you’ll begin to see results.