//

// //
I’m tired of listening to people complain that, “New Year’s resolutions don’t work.”
New Year’s resolutions work just fine – if you do the hard work necessary to make them work.
There’s a difference between a wish and a resolution, but I think most people forget this fact. Most people create a list of resolutions in the same way they make birthday wishes and then they hope and wish the resolutions one day come true.
It doesn’t work that way. You’ve got to make a resolution, create a plan, and then work your tail off.
But you don’t. Instead…
You make excuses.
You rationalize.
You blame others.
You blame outside influences.
You slip.
You diverge.
You meander.
You cheat.
You delay.
You lie to yourself.
You give in.
You give up.
The bottom line: New Year’s resolutions don’t work because you don’t. Or, because you aren’t willing to.
This year, tip the odds in your favor by doing things differently. Really think through your strategy. Review your resolutions from last year. What worked? What didn’t? Why?
Here’s a list of what it takes to make your resolutions work:

• Attitude – No sense in starting with the wrong attitude. You’ve got to believe in yourself and in your ability to win. If you don’t think you can accomplish your resolution, don’t even try. Remember, “Whether you think you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.” – Henry Ford
• Willingness – Most things can be done. Most “impossible” feats are really not impossible. They’re just hard. You have to be willing to commit, willing to work hard, and willing to not stop until you succeed.
• Ownership – A resolution has to be your goal, not somebody else’s. If your family wants you to quit smoking, but you don’t want to quit smoking, you’re probably not going to do very well. You have to own the goal and the outcome.
• Focus – If you try to change everything, you’ll probably wind up changing nothing. Make a shorter list this year. Or a long list with staggered due dates. Try working on no more than one or two resolutions at a time.
• Specificity – “Lose weight” is not good enough. Name the number of pounds. Name the deadline. And then name the specific plan to make that happen. If it’s exercise, for example, create a schedule for going to the gym. Put it in your calendar and then focus on the action steps rather than the resolution itself. Take the right actions, get the right results.
• Relentlessness – Sometimes things don’t go as planned. That’s OK. Your goal is not perfection; your goal is to accomplish your resolution. “Success is getting up one more time than you’ve been knocked down.”
• Support – A support network (friends, colleagues, family, coworkers) in your corner goes a long way toward helping you win. Ignore the naysayers (they’re probably just jealous) and instead surround yourself with people who believe in you and who want to see you succeed.
• Accountability – Either to self or to others. Sometimes, making your resolutions public will help keep you on track. If you have a habit of letting yourself down, but in always keeping your word to others, you might want to try sharing your resolutions with your friends and family.
• Celebration – Celebrate your accomplishments. It feels good to win. Throw yourself a party. Buy yourself a present. Make a big deal out of your successes. Celebrate in a way that makes you want to accomplish every resolution you ever set.

That’s a pretty good start. Now, make a resolution, create a plan, and get going. And, if you want a little help with accountability and support, share your resolution below in the comments.
In my next post, I’ll share my resolutions (and my plans).
Happy New Year!