We are just four days from the New Year and with the New Year comes a new batch of resolutions! From losing weight to changing careers, this time of year we tend to make promises to ourselves and hope like heck that we keep them (nearly 9 out of 10 resolutions go unfulfilled). Failed resolutions can lead to depression, self loathing and disappointment, so here are five pieces of advice to help you stick to your resolution this year.
- Write Them Down – By writing out your goals, you are making a contract with yourself which usually sparks a personal motivation to achieve them.
- Be Specific – Getting in shape can mean a lot of different things. If getting in shape to you means being able to run a ½ marathon by September, then make running a ½ marathon by September your resolution – not getting in shape.
- Get Social – Teaming up with others is particularly powerful, given our social natures and reluctance to let other folks down.
- Share your Resolutions – The truth is, no one achieves much if they work entirely alone. By allowing others to help, you not only increase your chances of success, you also reinforce your relationship with them.
- Expect Missteps – Just because you missed one day at the gym doesn’t mean your hard work has been for naught. Some folks consider such slip-ups tremendously deflating, which leads them to abandon their goal entirely. One way to avoid that is to imagine—before you embark on a resolution—a wide range of ways it may turn out, then ask yourself how you would react to each.
Making a professional New Year’s resolution for your company can be a great way to motivate and engage employees throughout the New Year. Using the tips above, we hope that your resolution can be one of the 10% that actually sticks this year. If it doesn’t, don’t beat yourself up – we love you just the way you are!