Fail-Proof New Year’s Resolutions
Why new year's resolutions fail
Before we walk you through steps to establishing fail-proof resolutions, let’s talk about why they fail. Most common resolutions—“Eat less junk food” or “Get in shape”—lack an instruction manual. These statements are missing details that answer the critical why, when, and how questions. Without systems to implement and track your plan and a quantifiable measure of success, it’s easy to lose motivation. New year’s resolutions typically fail because they're too vague. How you frame your resolution may also have an effect on its chance for success. A recent study shows that those who established “approach oriented” resolutions were more successful in keeping them versus those who had “avoidance oriented” resolutions.
1. Make them measurable
Let’s look at a typical resolution like “Read more.” How do you qualify “more” when talking about your reading goals? “Read one book per month” is a resolution that not only defines “more” but also allows you to break up the goal and track it. In another example, instead of “Eat healthier,” try “Eat meatless meals every Monday” as a measurable alternative.
The same applies to resolutions for your business. “Grow my business” is too vague but “Grow my online sales by 200% by the end of the year” gives you a clear goal to strive toward.
2. Be specific and clear
“Become self-sufficient” is a great resolution but it’s a big one and isn’t very clear. If self-sufficiency for you means starting or growing a business (we love this for you!), be clear with your language: “Start a business that allows me to quit my job this year” or “Grow my current business and begin paying myself a livable salary this year.” Both capture the spirit of “Become self-sufficient” but define what success actually means.
Now break this goal out into specific individual tasks—say, “Run a crowdfunding campaign,” “Secure three new wholesale partnerships,” or “consolidate business income”—that allow you to track your progress and celebrate little wins along the way.
3. Set a timeline
Resolutions differ from goals in that they are more often related to an ongoing habit versus a set end goal. Perhaps your business resolution is “Be more active on my brand’s social accounts” indefinitely. If social media isn’t your comfort zone, set a timeline for onboarding yourself onto a platform or getting to know the audience before establishing a posting frequency. The following goals are more specific, more measurable, and have a clear timeframe but still help you achieve your original resolution to establish an ongoing habit:
“Post on my brand’s Instagram account once per week.” (Then set a date to reassess this number and adjust as needed.)
“Learn to use TikTok and set up a brand account by March 1.”
“Reduce my social customer service response time to 24 hours by the end of May.”
4. Track them
Whether you use a paper calendar or a niche app, pick a tracking method that feels natural to you. Do you need push notifications as daily reminders or does a big whiteboard in a prominent place do the trick? That rush and sense of accomplishment you feel when you check a box is a powerful motivator.
5. Stay motivated
Why are you resolving to “Learn about the beauty industry” or “Find a business mentor”? What’s in it for you? When setting goals that capture the spirit of those resolutions, it’s important to identify the why. This exercise will help you keep your eye on the reward. Motivation can be found outside of the goal itself. “Eat healthier” might not have enough of a tangible reward to keep up with the leafy greens. Crowdsource your motivation by pairing with a friend with similar resolutions. If your resolution is business related, invite others into your process and share your ups and downs. Seek out a supportive community of other entrepreneurs to inspire you to keep striving.
6. Have a Plan B
What if your new year’s resolution was unsustainable or too ambitious? What do you do if, by July, you have fallen months off course or have abandoned your good intentions all together? There’s no rule that says resolutions can’t be adjusted or made fresh outside of January. Give yourself a break. Acknowledge that, say, reading one business book a week is impossible in your schedule. Rather than quitting, establish a monthly goal instead and you’ll still be faithful to your resolution to “Read more.”
7. Hold yourself accountable
You only answer to you on this one, friend. Without having to be accountable to a manager or team, the only person you’ll let down in this case is yourself. You deserve better! Treat yourself as your own client. Take time to check in with yourself weekly, and be honest about your progress. Every failure is a learning moment and puts you in the position to make even more bulletproof resolutions next year.
