New Year Resolutions: We all made them, we all make them and we all will make them probably in future again – those New Year Resolutions. How many of your New Year Resolutions have you really followed through with? How many times have you started, followed through in January and by February they were just a burden and you dropped them? Let’s look at 5 tips that will help you follow through with your New Year Resolution for the entire year and help you succeed in their realization.
Choose a goal that matter
New Year Resolutions can vary from starting exercise, continuing your education to healthy diet or quitting smoking. An important aspect to consider is to choose only one or two at a time. It is scientifically proven that if we try to pursue too many changes at a time, it will never work. Pick a resolution that really matters to you and then define what you really want to achieve about it. It must be something that is important and you are motivated to make it happen. Pursuing an online degree for broadening your knowledge, improving your professional profile or qualifying for a promotion can be such an important goal.
Start slowly
Most New Year Resolutions fail because they aim too high from the beginning. Setting small milestones rather than a major objective from the beginning will ease your journey and help you see the progress. So, if you plan to study on an online course from January onwards, schedule just 5 hours of study per week to start with. From February you can increase that to 10 hours and so on.
Set milestones
Breaking down a goal into small deliverables and milestones makes it immediately more achievable and attainable. Milestones not only allow you to focus on each task that will then in combination with others and regular repetition will lead to the desired goal, they also provide a plan for what the main focus should be. Passing one subject at a time could be a milestone when pursuing an online degree.
Evaluate your structural and social motivation
Your environment and the people who surround you will be as important to you achieving your goal as your internal motivation. If you wish to pursue your online degree, are there people in your social surroundings who would distract you and try to convince you to join them for a beer and study later? Do you have a good Internet connection and a laptop to use the online platform efficiently? Making such experiences enjoyable and constructive will contribute a great deal towards your success. We all know how frustrating even surfing the web can become is the browser is too slow.
Design rewards
You progressed on your goal during the first couple of weeks in January? Great! Let’s celebrate. Design rewards that will REALLY please you. Milestones will help you know when you achieved the next step so you can plan for your reward. It can be as simple as a treat to a spa, a walk in the forest or a night out with friends. Anything works as long as you feel that it gives you pleasure.
What is your New Year Resolution for 2015?