New Year's Resolutions Down the Drain?

Image by chrisjfry via Flickr

I like New Years because it is a time of renewal. The new year can be anything that you can imagine. Of course, you imagine yourself becoming a better person in the new year, so you set goals for how you want the new year to be different from the past.

Unfortunately, those goals can easily fall away because you fail to maintain them on a consistent basis. Let's say you decide to lose weight. You did well for a few weeks, then you lose focus on changing your eating and exercise routine. Finally, you tell yourself, "I'm hopeless, I can never maintain the discipline it takes to meet my goals."

Now think about anything you have accomplished in the past. Did you accomplish this through one effort or through many smaller efforts? Most goals require repeated efforts, not one. Ask someone who has successfully quit smoking, "How many times did you try before you were successful?" You will find that the majority of those respondents tried many times before achieving their nonsmoker status.

Have you already given up on your goals for self-improvement? Has your vision for a better year already faded? Consider making another effort and commit to keep trying even if you falter along the way. In December you may find that you have improved.