Now is the Best Time to Start Working on Your New Year’s Resolution

You know the stats. Approximately 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions made in January fail within the first few weeks.

The most common resolutions are to eat healthy, exercise and lose weight. The problem is that most people gain eight pounds overindulging from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. By the time January 1 rolls around, they can barely roll out of bed.

Even if their resolution is something non health-related, like “write a book” or “find a new career”, it can still be pretty difficult to muster up the energy to take action if you’ve been on the couch gobbling chocolates for eight weeks. If the goal is to pay off debt and grow your savings, then you still have a much better prognosis if you start with good habits in November, rather than wake up January 1 with a financial hangover.

November and December are great months for reflection and a signal that the year is coming to a close. What better time than now, to sit down with a nice cup of tea and a notepad to evaluate the year — before the chaos of the full swing holiday season sets in? Here are seven steps you can take as you review the year behind you and make plans for the one ahead:

1. Take inventory. Divide a piece of paper in half to record pluses on the left side and minuses on the right side. What did you do in 2016 that you are happy about? (for example, got promoted, found a partner). What occurred or didn’t occur in 2016 that you are not happy about? (for example, you still haven’t started exercising regularly).
2. Set goals. Write down one to three goals that you want to achieve in 2017. Make them specific and measurable and define a deadline. For example, pay off $3,000 in debt by December 2017. Go to the gym three days a week for 52 weeks.
3. State the pros and cons of changing. Write the pros on the left and the cons on the right. For every change, there are cons that you need to be prepared for. If you are going to pay off debt, you’ll have to make financial sacrifices. If you are going to the gym three days a week, you’ll have to get up an hour earlier. Being aware of the cons in advance will reduce your chances of quitting once obstacles arise.
4. Determine small changes you can start with immediately. For example, set a budget for Christmas shopping and stick to it. Open the gym membership and use it during the holiday season when everyone else is home overeating.
5. Find an accountability partner. Share your goals with a trusted friend, mentor, online support group or life coach. It is easy to go back to your old habits when there’s no one to disappoint but yourself. Having an accountability partner will help you stay on track and keep you motivated toward the goal.
6. Create a sustainable plan. Set up a new routine that you want to put on autopilot in 2017. For example, plan your weekly schedule so that you automatically go to the gym before work. If you want to improve your finances, you can set up an automatic electronic savings plan so that $300 is transferred to savings on payday.
7. Maintain the change. This is the part where you are among the 20 percent who actually keep their New Year’s resolution all year long! You continue to embrace the new behavior weekly and within 12 short months, you’ll be reviewing 2017 with a big smile on your face because your body and your bank account got a makeover.

Lindis Courtney is a strategic life and business coach who helps clients set and achieve their most important goals. Click here to read more about Lindis Courtney's life coaching strategies or for information on a consultation.