The new year is a powerful time to assess your goals and decide what changes you want to see in your life for the year ahead. Only about 25% of that number stick with it for more than two months, and only 1% stay committed for the whole year. Why are resolutions so easy to make, but hard to keep?
Science suggests that the problem lies not in our resolve, but in the way we set our goals. New Year’s Resolutions are aspirational, so we tend to state them in a general and optimistic way. But there’s a big difference between saying, “I want to work out more this year,” and “I will go to the gym three times a week.” That difference is what makes a goal SMART – a goal-setting structure that can help you create goals that are possible and empowering to achieve.
Successful Habit-Building for Positive Change
Most New Year’s Resolutions are not just goals, they are a desire for self-change. Building successful habits can happen whenever you’re ready, as long as you realize the true nature of your goal. About 40% of what we do in our day-to-day is done by habit. We’re on autopilot, so it’s hard to change. Making changes that will stick involves setting goals in a way that helps you intentionally change your habits and build new auto-pilot routines that you can be proud of.
SMART Goals Become Lasting Resolutions
What makes a goal smart? What makes a New Year’s Resolution achievable? It all comes down to the SMART goal-setting system. This defines actionable goals as Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
S – Specific
Set a resolution that defines a specific action that you will take. Let’s use running as an example.
- Instead of “I want to run more”, say
- “I will run in the morning every day” or
- “I want to train until I can run a 10-minute mile.”
Identify the steps you need to take to achieve your general goal. Define your goal by the actions you will take and the outcome you want to achieve. This will help you take those first vital steps and begin to build a routine of actions that will lead to achieving your goal.
M – Measurable
Success should be something you can measure. Determine how you will track your progress and what changes will look like over time. You should be able to confirm that you are sticking to your goal and identify when you are succeeding at the changes you want to see.
- “I will run 30 minutes every morning,” and
- “I will shorten my time to run a mile by ‘x’ seconds.”
These measurable goals allow you to track both your dedication and your progress.
A – Achievable
Make sure the goals you are setting can be achieved by making changes to your daily routine. Keeping your goals realistic can be much more motivating than setting impossible aspirations or trying to change everything all at once.
- Instead of “I will run for an hour every day”, try
- “I will go for a short run every morning and schedule at least two long runs a week based on my schedule.
Choose goals you can accomplish with daily actions. If you can’t plan the steps and work them into your day, then they will be hard to achieve. This way, you won’t feel overwhelmed and fall back on old habits.
R – Relevant
When defining your goal, ask yourself why making the change is important to you. If you can see the bigger picture, how your goal fits into your overall desire for positive change, then it will be easier to stay motivated and committed to your new habits. Here are a few examples.
- “I want to enjoy better physical fitness through running.”
- “I love to run and want to stay motivated to run every day”.
- “I want to run a marathon. I should start training my speed and endurance”
These goals can help you keep your eye on the prize instead of getting lost in the daily details.
T – Time
Give each goal a definition of time. Identify when you will add the new activities to your routine, how soon you might reach certain milestones, and how often you need to act.
For example
- “I will run every morning before breakfast”
- “I will go for a long run once every Saturday.”
- “I will achieve a 10-minute mile after two months of practice”
Making Resolutions that Last
Resolving to make changes in your life is something you can do any day and every day. One simple resolution you could make for 2025 is to update and personalize your insurance coverage. The good news is that we’re here to make that goal a quick and easy reality!
At Northern Nebraska Insurance, our independent agents can help you evaluate your homeowners or renters insurance, update your home inventory, get proper protection on the road, or review your life insurance beneficiaries. Whatever coverage you need, we’ll help you get the perfect fit! Let’s achieve your New Year’s Resolutions together.