If you’re one of the many people that started your resolutions on January 1 but already fell off track, don’t get discouraged, you’re not alone. It’s difficult to get on the right track, especially when you’re just getting back to real life after the holidays.
Your resolutions may have failed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t begin again. Here are some things you may want to be aware of so that you don’t botch your goals again.
10 Reasons Your New Year’s Resolutions Have Already Failed
If you’re one of the many people that started your resolutions on January 1 but already fell off track, don’t get discouraged, you’re not alone. It’s difficult to get on the right track, especially when you’re just getting back to real life after the holidays.
Your resolutions may have failed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t begin again. Here are some things you may want to be aware of so that you don’t botch your goals again.
You Tried it Alone
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You are more likely to fall off track when you are going at it alone. It’s easier to meet your goals when you are working together with someone – personal trainer, dietitian – or someone that has the same goals as you. They will keep you on the right track by holding you accountable and motivating you.
You Didn’t Organize Your Time Efficiently
You need to make time to work toward your resolutions. If you didn’t organize your time efficiently, it’s no wonder you fell off track and hit a few setbacks. You’re probably feeling stressed and anxious. Organizing and prioritizing your tasks will help you stay on track toward achieving your goal.
You Set Unrealistic Resolutions
Just because it sounds like a great resolution doesn’t mean it’s entirely achievable. Many of us bombard ourselves with unrealistic goals and end up overwhelming ourselves trying to meet them. Focus on one, specific, achievable goal.
You Didn’t Properly Define Them
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Your goals weren’t specific enough, so you just ended up confusing and overwhelming yourself; it’s no wonder why you haven’t reached a point of success. Goals that are too vague provide insufficient direction. Make sure that your goals are well defined and precise.
You Didn’t Have the Right Mindset
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Don’t let one unsuccessful day get you down. A positive mindset is key to achieving your resolutions. According to Mayo Clinic, the health benefits of positive thinking include lower levels of distress, increased life span, lower rates of depression, and better psychological and physical well-being.
You Didn’t Make a Public Commitment
You may have already failed your New Year’s resolutions because you kept your goals to yourself and attempted to work on them alone. Making a public commitment, such as sharing your goals on social media, is a great way to increase your accountability.
You Didn’t Plan for Obstacles
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After you wrote down your resolutions, did you anticipate problems and consider the obstacles you may face along the way? This is one of the biggest reasons why people fail to stay on track with their goals. Setbacks should be anticipated, as well as possible solutions.
You Didn’t Write Them Down
It’s easy to forget things, especially in the midst of getting back on track after the holiday season. If your resolutions have already failed it may be because you didn’t write them down. According to lifehacker.com, a study by a psychology professor at Dominican University of California found that “people who wrote down their goals, shared them with others, and maintained accountability for their goals were 33% more likely to achieve them, versus those who just formulated goals.”
You Quit Too Soon
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OK, so you slipped up, then you quit. This is the worst thing that you can do. Don’t let falling off track discourage you. Instead use failure as motivation for a fresh start and a new beginning.
You Didn’t Reward Yourself
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As you created your goals did you create specific benchmarks? If not, you may want to consider doing so to get your resolutions back on track. Make a list of rewards, and then create a list of the things you have to accomplish before you can get them. This will act as motivation toward achieving your goals.