During the new year, many people make resolutions only to forget them by this time of year, in February. Why do so many of us fail to keep the promises we set out to make to ourselves?
First, many people don’t write them down. They think them up over new years eve wine, and can’t recall them the next day. Secondly, even if you write them down, you might put them in a not so obvious place, a good example is a drawer you never open except years later.
Sometimes, we do get further than that. We may, for example actually join that gym, only to never actually show up for the exercise class.
One thing that helps in keeping resolutions is accountability. Telling others about your resolutions lets them know you are serious about it. Another helpful tool is to write them down and leave them in a place you will see everyday and notice. Not just as another picture on the wall or paper under the glass in your desk, but for instance, taped to your mirror. Make a daily habit of looking at them and going over them in your head first thing in the morning when you get up.
Lastly, it is important to make goals you can actually achieve, not to big and not too little. Its silly to plan some big step and then never follow through on it because you don’t have the rest of the things you need to achieve the goal, for instance, make a million dollars when you don’t have concrete plan about how you will earn that money. You don’t need to make them so small they are insignificant either.