GUIDE TO NEW YEAR’S

RESOLUTIONS

TWENTY FOURTEEN IS ON THE DOOR STEP. THIS YEAR, WHY NOT MAKE SOME

RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU ACTUALLY STICK TO? HERE IS OUR GUIDE TO HELP YOU

SUCCEED WITH YOUR RESOLUTIONS, MAKING 2014 YOUR MOST RESOLVED YEAR YET.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS BY THE NUMBERSOver 40% of us will make a New Year’s ResolutionLess than 10% of us will actually achieve our ResolutionsTop Five Resolutions (according to the Journal of Clinical Psychology):

1. Lose weight2. Get organized3. Save more money4. Enjoy life5. Get fit

Keep a Resolution <10%

Make a Resolution (40+%)

TOP FIVE REASONS RESOLUTIONS FAIL

1. Unrealistic goals You’re not going to get a six pack in a month, nor will

your retirement fund grow by 200% (if it does, please share you secrets with us). While it’s good to challenge yourself, your resolutions should be something that you know you are capable of.

2. Proceeding alone Not involving any one else can doom you from the

start by allowing you to choose bad resolutions. Once you set of to achieve these goals, you will have no one to motivate you to succeed, and will also lack someone to push you towards success. Getting a support system in place is a must.

3. Not totally committed You’ve figured out the what part, but lack the why you’re

doing it. If you do not commit 100% to your goals, mentally, physically, and emotionally, when the going gets tough it will be easier to give up.

4. Starting too fast If you haven’t worked out in a while, don’t sign up for a

marathon next month. Create goals that you can achieve right away, and build as the year goes by. Allowing them to become part of your daily life sets you up for long term changes.

5. Incentive based resolutions If you reward yourself every time you achieve something,

you will likely become motivated by the reward, rather than achieving your goals.

TOP FIVE REASONS RESOLUTIONS FAIL

AWFUL RESOLUTIONS (AND

WHY THEY’RE SO BAD.)

“I’ll go to the gym more.” What’s your reason for going? Lost weight? Bulk up? How many times per week will you go? No end

game, no plan laid out to follow, no way to see if you succeed. “We will save more, and spend less.”

Where are you going to cut your budget? Saving $100 more than last year really isn’t going to get you very far. Financial goals are the worst to be vague with, because they are the easiest to keep track of!

“I want to enjoy my life more and just be happier!” What do you enjoy doing? Where are you the happiest? Instead of generally saying ‘I want to enjoy life

more’, find out which activities put a smile on your face and resolve to spend more time doing them.

Now you know what NOT to do when choosing your resolutions for 2014. So,

let’s switch gears to cover what you SHOULD do to be in the 10% of people that

actually achieve their resolutions. Quite honestly,

it isn’t all that hard.

Follow these tips for success!

SETTING GOALS THAT WORK

Keep them simple

As we covered, avoid

unrealistic goals. Resolve

to do something

feasible, that you can start doing it right

away.

Identify the end game

In one year, what will the outcome of

your resolution be?

Set a clear, concrete goal

to work towards.

Believe in your

resolutionsIf you buy in to your goals, and your ability to achieve them,

working towards the end

game will become much

easier.

Phase in your

resolutions

Plan to start with small

changes, and gradually

expand once you have mastered

them.

ACHIEVING THE GOALS YOU SET Win Each

DayNew Year’s Resolutions are a marathon, not a sprint. Keep the end goal in mind, but focus on the daily actions that will take you there.

Track Your ProgressKeep track of how your changes are going. This will give you a tangible measure of how you are doing.

Plan For SuccessWhile setting a goal is a start, you need to develop the process that will get you there. What changes will you make daily, weekly, and monthly?

Get a Support GroupFind others who have also made resolutions and help each other out. Motivate when moral is low, and congratulate when milestones are reached.

ANATOMY OF AWESOME RESOLUTIONS

Ready to make your best resolutions yet? Follow this formula for success:

Proclamation of definitive achievement + clear, tangible,

realistic goal + process you will implement to reach said goal

“In 2014, I will reduce my body fat to 12% by running for 30 minutes 4 times a week, and only eating fast food once per week.”

TEMPLATE FOR AN AWESOME RESOLUTION

TEMPLATE FOR AN AWESOME RESOLUTION

“In 2014, I will reduce my body fat to 12% by running for 30 minutes 4 times a week, and only eating fast food once per week.”

Proclamation of definitive achievement (What you will accomplish this year, not what you want to do.)

+Clear, tangible, realistic goal (A specific workout goal, with a measurable end result.)

+Process you will use to reach your goal (The actions and changes you will make in order to achieve what you set out to do.)

GETTING THE HANG OF IT? GOOD! THE LAST PART OF OUR GUIDE IS A FEW DOS AND DON’TS FOR YOUR RESOLUTIONS.

WHEN IT COMES TO RESOLUTIONS, DON’T:

Set ‘should’ goals Don’t pick something just because that’s the way it ‘should be’. If you want to work

out because you feel like you ‘should’ have a six pack, it will be easy to quit when it’s not there in three months.

Set vague goals “I want to lose weight.” Well how much? Through better diet, or exercising? Have a

number of pounds in mind? If you don’t set a specific goal, how will you know if you achieve it or not?

Rely on incentives If you reward yourself every time you practice your resolution, you are not changing,

you’re reconditioning. If you reward yourself with a nice dinner out for every $100 you put into savings, then you’re not really saving $100, are you?

Allow wiggle room If you let it slide once, the second time will be easier.

Take time to research clear, specific goals “I will lose 4 pounds every month, by going to the gym 4 times a week.” “I will invest

$2,500 annually into a Roth IRA by depositing $210 a month.” Include a clear end result, as well as the steps necessary to achieve this.

Find someone(s) to hold you accountable Your spouse, friends, a co-worker, someone who will call you out if you slip up, and

motivate you to see your goals through. After setting achievable goals and making a plan, this is your most important key to success.

Track your progress Find an app on your phone or go old school with a journal. Either way, keep track of

your daily progress. This will help you find out what works, and point out any missteps that you make (most likely there will be a few, so take note of them and learn!)

WHEN IT COMES TO RESOLUTIONS, DO:

THERE YOU HAVE IT. Can it really be that simple? Yeah, actually, it really can be. Stick to this guide. Don’t give up. Share your resolutions in the comments. We will do what we can to help! Happy New Years!