How To Make Resolutions & Goals That Actually Last!

Almost everyone starts each New Year with a resolution, but only a fraction of these people actually accomplish their goals. Here are the practical and proven ways you can create resolutions and goals that actually last!:

1. Have a strong emotional reason

As mentioned by Michael Gerber in his book “The E-myth”, people reach great heights when they are driven by a strong emotional commitment. For example, Martin Luther King achieved greatness because he deeply cared about the freedom of African Americans.

Your ambition must be rooted in an emotion that stirs your soul, an idea that makes you lose sense of time when you immerse yourself in it. For example, “I want to attain X position at work so that my children can have a better future”.
This step is about creating your “why” or your powerful purpose. Why is it an absolute MUST you achieve this goal?

2. Put great effort into your commitment

In his book, “The Psychology of Persuasion”, Professor Robert Beno Cialdini mentions that the harder it is to get something, the more we value it. This is why life coaches stress on the importance of writing down your goals.

In college fraternities, new recruits go through a hell week. It includes multiple tests of physical exertion, psychological strain and social embarrassment. This initiation phase builds a strong sense of solidarity among them. You can create your own initiation phase with the help of friends and family to solidify your commitment.

3. Commit to your goals publicly

Cialdini says that public commitments last much longer than normal commitments. When you commit to a goal publicly, you are less likely to slack down because people are going to judge you.

As an added advantage, some people may support you on your journey and might even join you. This keeps you accountable to others. You can also ask any of your friends to keep a check on you. When it comes to commitment, accountability is gold.

4. Change your environment

You create your environment, but your environment also creates you. Environment consists of the things and objects that surround you. People who know how to be more productive in life understand this phenomenon.

For example, if you want to shed some extra pounds, throw out all the junk food in your kitchen.

If you want to have an impeccable work ethic, remove all distractions from your room including TV or access to the internet, and place time-management tools on your table. If you want to become a public speaker, join a toastmasters club and collect some of the best public speeches ever to go through every day.

5. Have a clear written vision

Articulate your vision. What are the key steps that will take you to your goal? How will things change as you move on the path to your goals? What key processes or habits will guarantee your success? How will you deal with failures on the way? What resources will you use?

We feel afraid when things are uncertain. Hence, you must have a clear vision of where you’re going. A detailed vision is the antidote for uncertainty. You must understand the importance of writing down your goals. Writing enforces behavior and identity and helps you manifest dreams into reality.

6. Document your progress

It is easy to feel pumped and work on your ambition for the first few days. But after that, people often give up. If you wonder how to be more productive in life, document your progress.

Joe DiMaggio, the legendary baseball player, used to tally-mark his wall after each practice. A journalist, who didn’t know this, once asked him how he was a natural hitter. DiMaggio took him to his basement, showed him tens of thousands of tally marks and told him to never call him a natural hitter again. When you document your progress, it becomes your fuel for hustling every day.