8. Make sure it’s actually what you want

This takes place before making a New Year’s resolution list, but it’s also important to visit during the season. Many say that knowing what you want is half the battle, so if you try to accomplish something but you yourself aren’t even sure that it’s what you truly desire, then the likelihood is that you’ll come up short.

Passion is key to a lot of things in life. Say for instance that one of your resolutions is to run more, it’s going to be critical that you have an excitement for running. Because during the tougher days, that’s what’s going to keep you pushing.

7. It’s about making time, not finding it

Look, we’re all busy. We all have only 24 hours a day to do everything we need to. If your mentality is “I can’t find the time,” then chances are you won’t be able to do much aside from your every day requirements.

The key is that you have to make time. I understand this is more difficult for people who commute far away to get to work or back home, and others who have difficult schedules. But if you really want to do something, you’ll have to find a certain portion of the day to do so. Maybe wake up an hour earlier, or go to sleep 30 minutes later than usual?

6. Plan ahead

There’s a popular quote that goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This is true, especially for those who work on a time crunch.

An example: one of your goals for 2019 is to spend more time with your family, but you’re not sure when you can do so because you’ve got a bunch of work meetings every week. What do you do? The Sunday before you return to work, find a day or two where you reserve a few hours of your time to catch up with mom and dad, so you can save the other days for your job. Small things like that can make big differences.

5. Focus on growth over goals

The truth is putting too much pressure on ourselves to complete a certain task or reach a specific feat can be taxing. That’s why many preach that it’s important to focus on growth over goals.

Doing so enables you to see the more optimistic side of things. Sure, you might not be at the point where you want to be right away, but knowing you’re improving or getting closer every week can be a huge morale boost and can even motivate you constantly.

After all, the beauty is in the journey and not the destination.

4. Track your progress

This is in line with the last item on this list.

Focusing on how you’re improving requires you to track the progress of your improvement. Say for example that you work in sales and there’s a specific quota you want to reach in a few months. Make sure to list down how many of the items you’re marketing you sell every week, and make it a point to see improvement in the number each time no matter how little or small it might be.

Because in this case, at the very least, you can say you’re getting better consistently.

3. Have someone keep you accountable

Doing so means there’s also someone there to remind you of why you sought out to make it a resolution in the first place. This comes in particularly handy at the gym, where going with a workout buddy can make the sometimes gruesome process of getting in better shape a little easier.

Even if what you’re trying to do requires you to work by yourself, asking a close friend or loved one to hold you accountable to the standard you want to have can keep that momentum going for you during more challenging times. Moreover, these voices of support can also be a good shoulder to cry on every now and then.

2. Reward yourself for milestones

Again, you won’t reach your ultimate goal right away, but on the way to doing so, you’ll hit mini feats worth celebrating. Does this mean you can go eat at a buffet for five days straight when you’ve lost a pound? Of course not.

But, say you’re a quarter way to reaching your aspiration of losing a specific number of pounds, it’s okay to have that chocolate chip cookie on Sunday night after dinner to treat yourself. Just make sure to return to what’s been working after.

1. Share your accomplishments

When we stay true to our New Year’s resolutions, we feel good about ourselves. And it’s okay to share that, especially with the people we love and who love us. Even if there are those who believe posting on social media is a call for validation, don’t listen to them. If you want to upload an image of the new phone you worked hard for in the past few months, go for it.

Don’t be shy to feel proud.

Got any more tips? Share them with us below!