Many of us start off the New Year with resolutions to improve ourselves in some way, but when it comes to following through? We’re not so good at that part.
So how can we change that and stick to our resolutions? Morgan Cerf, a professor of neuroscience and business at Kellogg School of Management and Northwestern University, explains how to make effective resolutions we’ll actually fulfill.
Cerf says to make resolutions you’ll stick with, start by choosing realistic ones and shares these tips for doing this:
- Keep a diary of your resolutions- The idea is to keep tabs on yourself so you can look back annually and evaluate yourself. You’ll be able to see how realistic you were before and how close you were to reaching your goals and then you can adjust this year’s resolutions accordingly.
- Make your resolutions with someone else- Research shows people make more realistic plans and live up to them when they’re made with others. Looping a friend or partner into your plan will make you more accountable and may help you reach your goal.
- Rank your resolutions from most to least important- Make your list, rank them, then pick the top two for your 2021 resolutions. If you realize in December 2021 you accomplished both, choose four for next year. If you didn’t? Next year you only get one.
To make sure you execute the resolutions he advises:
- Keep an honest tab on yourself- Write them down and look at them regularly so you don’t “forget” or change them.
- Evaluate the resolution every quarter- A year is a long time, so check on your progress every three months to see if you can adjust or improve your plan.
