January is the most popular time of year to set goals, and the most popular time to drop them. Most New Year resolutions are forgotten within a few weeks. It isn't a lack of willpower. It's that "get fit" or "save more" is a wish, not a plan.
The good news is that the fix is simple. Pick fewer goals, write them clearly, and give each one a small step every week.
Look back before you look forward
Before you set anything new, spend twenty minutes on the year that's ending. Three questions are enough:
- What went well? Something you're proud of, big or small.
- What didn't happen? A goal you set and dropped, and why.
- What do you want more of, and less of? Time, energy, money, people.
The answers usually point straight at the goals worth setting. If you dropped a goal last year because it was too big, that's useful too.
Write down every idea first
Next, get everything out of your head. Write every goal, wish and "one day" idea on one list, without judging any of them. Health, money, career, learning, family, adventure. This is a brain dump, and it takes about fifteen minutes.
Most of the list won't become goals this year. That's fine. Keep the rest as dreams for later.
Choose two or three
The biggest mistake with New Year goals is setting too many. Ten goals means ten things to feel behind on by the end of January.
Choose two or three. A good mix is one goal that's fun, one that's important, and one that stretches you. If you can't decide, ask which goal would make the biggest difference to the rest of your life if you reached it.
Make each one SMART
Turn each goal into a SMART goal: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
| Resolution | SMART goal |
|---|---|
| Get fit | Run 5 km without stopping by 31 March, running three times a week. |
| Save more | Save $3,000 for a holiday by 30 September by moving $75 to savings every Friday. |
| Read more | Read 12 books this year, one a month, 20 minutes before bed. |
| Learn Spanish | Hold a 10-minute conversation in Spanish by July, with 15 minutes of practice a day. |
The SMART version tells you exactly what to do this week. The resolution only tells you how you'll feel if you don't.
Pick a finish line before December
A goal with the whole year to run is easy to put off. Give each goal a date in the first half of the year, or break a year-long goal into quarters. "Read three books by 31 March" feels urgent in a way "read 12 books this year" doesn't.
Plan the first week, not the whole year
Break each goal into small tasks with dates. You don't need the whole year mapped out. You need the first two or three weeks, and the very next step.
Make the first step so small you can't say no: buy the running shoes, open the savings account, borrow the first book. Starting is the hardest part, so make it easy.
Check in every week
Pick a time each week, Sunday evening works for many people, and ask three questions:
- What did I get done?
- What got in the way?
- What's the one thing I'll do next week?
Five minutes is enough. This weekly check-in is what carries a goal past February. Writing a line or two in a goal journal makes it stick.
When you miss a week
You will. Everyone does. Missing a week isn't failing, but missing three in a row usually is the end of a goal. So when you miss one, don't wait for next Monday or next year. Do the smallest possible step today, and move the dates if you need to. If you're stuck, start smaller.
Questions people ask
How many New Year goals should I set?
Two or three. Fewer goals get more attention, and finishing one early gives you room to start another.
When should I set my New Year goals?
Late December is ideal: there's time to think, and you can start on 1 January with your first step planned. But any week is a good week to start. A goal set on 14 January works just as well.
What's the difference between a resolution and a goal?
A resolution is a wish, like "get fit". A goal says exactly what you'll do and by when, like "run 5 km by 31 March". Goals are easier to start and you know when you've finished.
How do I stay motivated after January?
Check in once a week, keep the steps small, and tell someone about your goal. Seeing your progress each week does more for motivation than any amount of willpower.
In Lifetick
Add each goal on the web or iPhone and Lifetick walks you through the five SMART questions, then helps you break it into weekly steps with dates and reminders. Keep the rest of your list as dreams, write a line in your journal each week, and see your progress on the Home screen.
See Write a SMART goal, Add tasks, dates and reminders and Create a dream.
Start with one goal
Lifetick is free on iPhone and the web, and five quick questions make it a SMART goal.
