Reframing New Year's Resolutions as Goals
Gym members using cardio equipment. Credit: iStock
It’s that time of year again—the big wind up before the big wind down. This is the season when everyone is in overdrive preparing for the holidays and celebrations. This is also the time for other end-of-year rituals such as ranking “the year's bests” lists, self-reflection, and, ultimately, New Year's resolutions.
Self-reflection is a great opportunity to look back on all that has happened over the past year. When doing so, it’s important to enjoy your successes, consider what didn’t go as planned, and make plans for the next year. But be aware that the emotions of the holiday season, and the pressure to “outdo” or “be better” can lead to making unhealthy choices or resolutions.
Resolutions that focus on becoming a better version of yourself – get fit, eat better, read more, be happier – can create a lot of anxiety and stress in achieving the goal, no matter what. This can affect your mental and physical health, leading to negative consequences. When we reprimand ourselves for not achieving these vague resolutions our thought process can affect our self-confidence and self-esteem. Focus on why you were unable to achieve the goal and what you can do the next time from that feedback instead of self-criticism.
“It’s easy to set a resolution at the end of December or beginning of January, but studies show that 88 percent of people who set New Year resolutions fail them within the first two weeks,” says Dr. Asim Shah, Baylor College of Medicine.
So why do we adhere to resolutions that stress us out, or set us up for failure? Instead, this year consider a new approach - set goals instead of resolutions.
What’s the difference? A resolution starts with good intentions, but they’re difficult to follow because they require constant discipline if you don’t want to “fail.”
If you resolve that you will read every night before bed or go to the gym five days a week, this doesn’t allow for the reality that things happen in life (we get sick, work schedules change, kids need attention) that will surely prevent us from doing that.
Goals are defined as “the desired results you are committed to achieving within a specific time frame. Properly defined goals help trigger new behaviors and focus on what's important to you.” And that part, triggering new behaviors, is what makes the difference. Not only does a goal give you something to work towards throughout the year (as opposed to trying, failing, and moving on within the first month of the year), but it’s also more likely to help you build healthy habits in the long run.
Setting goals can be done whenever, not just at the start of a new year. Goal-setting is an important method for deciding what you want to achieve at different times in your life, and to help figure out what your values are and what is important. It will motivate and help build self-confidence.
Every summer my children and I talk about what they want to achieve for the upcoming school year. We split their goals into categories - academic, personal and social. They decide what they want to achieve, which goals are most important, and work on a plan to achieve them.
Use the SMART way to set goals:
S = specific. Be precise. The more detailed your goal is, the easier it is to measure success. (Ex. Indicate how many pages to read each week, or how many crunches to do during every workout.)
M = measurable. Keep goals small and identify quantitative targets for tracking progress and results. This gives you more opportunities for reward and growth. Baby steps.
A = attainable. Your goals should be challenging but possible. They should not be too easy or too hard. Make sure it’s likely to reach your goal if you put in the time and effort and have the necessary resources.
R = realistic. Set realistic goals. Acknowledge the practice and requirements necessary to accomplish the goal.
T = timely. Specify a time frame and build in a deadline along the way.
Tips to Set Personal Goals
The following broad guidelines will help you to set effective, achievable goals:
State each goal as a positive statement. Positive self-talk can improve our confidence, resilience, and outlook on life.
Have a plan. Break down your SMART goal into small, specific steps that will move you in the right direction. Begin by listing at least one action to take in the next week. Schedule a time to do it. Then, really do it. Turn intentions into reality
Enlist support. Think about family, friends, or co-workers whom you can inform of your new goal and ask for the different types of support you might need. They can help hold you accountable for making progress. Carefully select whom you tell and when you tell them, so as not to undermine your motivation or progress.
Write goals down. This will be helpful when you are in need of a reset, not lose sight of what you want to achieve, and assess how you’re doing against your goal. Decide what additional actions you need to take toward achieving your goal. Reevaluate your priorities and set new milestones as needed.
Set performance goals, not outcome goals. When setting goals, consider what you have control over. It’s hard when you are not able to meet a goal because of something you cannot control (ex. Bad weather during a marathon, changes in work structure) If you base your goals on personal performance, then you can keep control over the achievement of your goals, and draw satisfaction from them.
Take your time. The New Year does not have to be a brand new you. Take the time to do something fun and adventurous, and prioritize your health over punishing yourself. The complexities of life and wanting to make changes can make attaining goals a struggle. Here is a list of ways you can empower yourself to make meaningful changes.
If you find yourself struggling to give yourself grace and you're putting pressure on yourself, it may be time to reach out to a mental health professional. They can provide more tools on ways to set goals and how to create healthy boundaries with yourself.
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