6 Tips for Making a Great New Year's Resolution

The end of the year is here, which means it's time to come up with New Year's resolutions. Resolutions are usually difficult to stick to, and that's assuming you're even able to come up with any to begin with. Here are six tips for setting strong goals for the new year--and actually sticking to them:

1. Look Back

To figure out where you're going, you have to know where you are. Reflect on the last year: What went right? What went wrong? Were there any moments you're particularly proud of, like winning the local hot-dog eating contest? Is there anything you look back on with embarrassment, like losing the regional hot-dog eating contest? What do you wish you'd done differently?

This kind of reflection might seem a little bit trite, but it's important. Hindsight is 20/20, after all, and you're a lot more likely to be able to see your own negative and positive patterns in retrospect. By looking back on the last year, you'll be able to see how to make next year better.

2. Consider Weaknesses

Resolutions are all about making positive changes, so identify the parts of your life that need a little bit of work. There's no need to be down on yourself for this part--nobody's perfect. An honest analysis of your own weaknesses will give you clear areas where you can focus your efforts and energy.

Once you've come up with a list of weaknesses, evaluate each one. Some things about yourself are going to be easier to change than others--focus on two or three, but only pick one difficult weakness. This will give you a good mix of attainability and challenge.

3. Think Strengths

Once you know what you want to work on, you need to figure out how you're going to do it. This is where your strengths come into play. Use what you're good at to become better at what you're not. So if you want to become better at knitting, and you're excellent at organization, make yourself a knitting schedule.

Unfortunately, not all strengths are equally useful. For example, someone who is great at knitting might not be able to use that skill to become more organized. However, dig a little deeper and you might find the characteristics you need for success--knitting requires lots of patience and dedication, and those qualities can be used to stick to an organizational routine. Voila! Strengths utilized.

4. Know Results

One of the biggest issues with many resolutions is that they're about actions, not results. This might seem like a good thing--after all, shouldn't the resolution be about what you're actually doing? However, focusing on the goal instead of the method can have a huge impact on success. The reason for this is simple: People love finish lines.

Thinking in terms of results gives you a clear destination. If your resolution doesn't lend itself naturally to an end goal, try to come up with one. What kind of impact do you want this change to have on your life? What should be different? These questions should be able to help you figure out what you want out of your resolution. You should still have an idea of how you'll do it, of course, but make sure you know where you're going.

5. Set a Timeline

It's not enough to say you're going to do something--when are you going to do it? Some resolutions will naturally create their own timelines--for example, your hot-dog eating resolution will depend on the competition's schedule. Others are short-term, but still nebulous: Try to balance available time and difficulty when planning how long these will take.

Even if the resolution itself will take a year to complete, you should still be able to come up with some kind of schedule. What will you have done by February? June? November? Map out your year as much as you can. As the months go by, check in to see how you're doing. This will help you stay on track and figure out whether you need to re-evaluate as you go.

6. Be Specific

Get detailed with your resolution--the more specific, the better. Take all of the points above and combine them to make a complete resolution. Including all of these different facets will make you a lot more likely to stick to your goals. The stronger your framework, the easier a time you'll have staying within it.

Once you've figured out all of the different elements of your New Year's resolution, write it down and stick it somewhere you'll regularly look. This kind of visual reminder will help the goal stay on your mind, so you're less likely to forget about it as the year goes on.

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