Already Breaking New Year’s resolutions? Here are three tips to help you set goals that stick

Did you start the year strong with a New Year’s resolution that’s quickly faded into the background of your life now that we’re heading into February? 

“Why do most New Year’s resolutions fail,” you might ask, after years or decades of starting the year with the same old story. 

Well, you’re not alone. “Studies show that only 8% of Americans who make a New Year's resolution actually keep them all year and 80% have failed by the start of February. Clinical Psychologist Joseph J. Luciani, Ph. D, says most resolutions fail due to sabotage caused by a lack of self-discipline.” 

While these statistics can seem discouraging and cold, the truth is that behind those numbers are real people, looking to the start of a new year for renewed hope and positive life change, only to find familiar discouragement instead. 

So instead of creating unrealistic resolutions with unclear plans for follow through that soon leave us frustrated with little progress, we need to figure out how to make realistic goals so that each of us can make, keep, and track true positive change in our lives.

Even big dreams don’t need to be unrealistic. If you want to run the New York City Marathon, you don’t just show up and start running. 

1. You need a plan. 

2. You need to prepare and train. 

3. You need to make it meaningful, measurable, and maintainable.

Or so says Pastor and New York Times Best-selling author Mark Batterson.

I like that criteria. If your goal is truly meaningful, you will be motivated to work towards it. If it’s measurable you can easily track your progress, and if it’s maintainable you will succeed! 

We aren’t talking about trying to fit into the same jeans that you wore in high school. While that might make you feel good for a day, it won’t carry long term significance. The meaning is temporary, and the goals with the most sticking power will be those with eternal meaning. 

Ecclesiastes 3 tells us for everything there is a season. God has you in a particular season of your life for a purpose, and he has important work for you to do. Even if you didn’t choose the season you’re currently in, God is with you and for you, and there’s a good chance that the Holy Spirit is prompting you about a change you can make in this season of your life, whether big or small.  

Maybe there is a destructive habit you need to break. Maybe there’s loving kindness you need to learn to extend to yourself and those around you. Maybe there’s a relationship you’re being asked to pour into or step out of. 

In all these things, you can listen to the Holy Spirit, choose to act in faith, and create specific, measurable steps towards breaking that habit, pouring out that love, or walking into our out of that relationship.

By spending daily quiet time with God, reading His Word, studying it, and obeying it, God will surely guide and direct your path. 

“Proverbs 16:9, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”

Remember that you aren’t in this alone. We are all learning to walk in faith toward the life God has for us. We have a whole team of Counselors who care about you, who want to see you accomplish your goals and glorify God and who are ready and willing to help you when you need it. 

Don’t get overwhelmed thinking ahead to next month or next year. Just wake up today, breathe in truth and breathe out love, taking daily steps that will lead you further down the road God has for you. 

And give yourself some grace. Lamentations 3:22-23, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” God’s compassions never fail. They are new for us every morning. His love is waiting for us, even when we feel consumed. 

Make sure you check back in for part two of this series, where we'll talk about how to take the “New Year, New You!” focus off just our physical health and instead learn to regularly take inventory of our emotional and spiritual wellness.

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