The dawn of a new year is always exciting, and New Year's resolutions come in handy for everyone. The most common scenario is that we tend to set very ambitious goals on New Year's Eve but often forget them by the time March rolls around. Finally, when reflecting on those lofty aspirations at the end of the year, it seems everything has gone awry. Besides, we often find ourselves crafting well-written justifications for not achieving these goals. Well, that’s the most conventional scenario. Now, let’s explore why these resolutions often end in failure.
1. Inappropriate Goals
At times, the objectives you set may not sync with the current phase of your life. Transforming your life entirely through a new year resolution might be impractical. It's essential to ensure that your goals align with the series of life events unfolding, keeping in mind that the start of another new year, according to the calendar, is just one among many.
2. Neglecting Goal Progress Tracking
While we set goals enthusiastically, many of us overlook the crucial step of monitoring our progress. There should be a timely review of the goals that we set. Reviewing the progress at the end of the year fails to provide meaningful insights. Regular and timely assessments are key to staying on course and making necessary adjustments along the way.
3. Absence of Action Planning
Setting goals is exhilarating, but many of us overlook the importance of crafting a detailed action plan. A lofty goal alone may lack the visibility needed for the essential action items required to achieve it.
4. Lack of Commitment
Obviously, this is a significant factor contributing to the failure of New Year resolutions. We may have well-crafted goals and action plans, but the absence of steadfast dedication hinders progress.
Just take a moment and reflect on the above points in the context of your life and pinpoint any factors that might have led to your resolutions falling short.
There are various goal-setting frameworks to be considered when setting up your goals. SMART is a renowned framework that guides you in creating an effective goal-setting process. Simply it provides the direction to set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound Goals.
Additionally, consider the Backward Goal Setting technique when refining both the end goal and the action plan.
As an example, let’s say Christina, an experienced content writer, aims to publish her first novel by October 2024. She is on the verge of completing the first draft by the end of 2023. Let’s review this goal using the SMART Framework:
- Specific : The expected result is crystal clear – Christina wants to publish her first novel.
- Measurable : While personal goals may not always be quantifiable, Christina could set specific measures, such as submitting her manuscript to a certain number of publishers or aiming for a specific number of positive responses.
- Achievable : The expected result is crystal clear – Christina wants to publish her first novel.
- Relevant : Christina, being a well-experienced content writer with excellent writing ability, stands to achieve significant personal growth through this endeavor.
- Time-Bound: By October 2024, is a clear-cut time frame
Additionally, we can apply the Backward Goal Setting technique to come up with an action plan and review the feasibility of this goal:
- Christina wants to publish her first novel by October 2024.
- Therefore, by August, the manuscript should be accepted by at least one vendor.
- To achieve this, the manuscript should be sent out to at least 10 publishers by April.
- By April, the final manuscript should be ready.
- From January to March, Christina can revisit the first draft and make the necessary amendments.
Likewise, from the end goal, we can plan the road backward and derive the action items along the way.
When setting new resolutions, consider these valuable tips:
- Define Personal Values - Always align your resolutions with well-defined personal values. These values serve as the foundation for a purposeful life.
- Choose Appropriate Metrics - Select metrics wisely to measure your life values. The perception of an event as positive or negative can vary based on the metrics chosen, so make sure they truly reflect your aspirations.
- Learn from Past Experiences - Draw insights from your past experiences. Reflect on both successes and setbacks to inform and improve your approach to new resolutions.
- Take Action - Don't merely define your goals; take action. By actively engaging in the pursuit of your resolutions, you are more likely to find answers and achieve meaningful progress.
These tips serve as a guide to ensure your new resolutions are not only well-grounded in personal values but also practical and actionable for a successful journey ahead. Cheers!