Take the long term view of your new year's resolutions

If quitting alcohol and cigarettes, being healthy, doing more exercise, losing weight, finding a new hobby or passion and securing a new job are among the resolutions you made for yourself when the first day of 2009 dawned, you are not alone. You are among billions of people worldwide who probably made one or more of these promises to themselves.

“As much as some people fob off making New Year’s resolutions as a meaningless ritual, achieving them can be life-changing. The trick is to stick them,” says Robyn Farrell, director of 1st for Women Insurance Brokers and spokesperson for 1st for Women life insurance.

Year in and year out various internet sites and polls list the most popular New Year’s resolutions and somehow these always crop up in the top ten. This year, US website www.goalsguy.com published the results of its extensive survey of some 300 000 people worldwide to find out what the top resolutions for 2009 are.

Not surprisingly, “lose weight and improve physical shape” was ranked the number one priority, with “quit smoking” in sixth position; “find a better job” at number seven and “learn something new” eighth in the ranks.

Similarly, another website, www.123newyear.com, ranks “be healthy” as the most popular resolution; “quit smoking” as the third most popular and “quit drinking” as the forth. In fifth position is “enjoy life more” and in seventh is “learn something new”.

“There is something about New Year that ushers in new hope, the promise of a fresh start of things and an opportunity to remake ourselves and our lifestyles. And, there are plenty of reasons to make, and of course stick to, New Year pledges. Above all, if we achieve our goals, we are rewarded with a better, healthier, more fulfilling life.

“Accomplishing your goals could also pay off in other ways. Losing weight, lowering your cholesterol, drinking less alcohol and quitting smoking reduces your risk of developing lifestyle diseases such as heart disease and you could qualify for cheaper life insurance premiums,” says Farrell.

By the end of January, many people have abandoned at least one, if not all, of their resolutions and by mid-year, the pledges made as the clock struck midnight on the 31st of December 2008 will be a long-forgotten memory for the vast majority.

So what makes people give up on their promises so easily?

“Perhaps people set unrealistic or too many goals. Maybe it’s because they don’t write down their resolutions or establish a plan of action for achieving their goals. It could also simply be because they forget or ignore their reasons for making the promises in the first place,” questions Farrell.

Her advice: “Making the resolution is the first and easiest step. Achieving it requires planning and dedication with a step-by-step approach that should span the year. Nothing big or life-changing can be accomplished in a day or even a week. Rather, life’s major achievements are accomplished in a succession of baby steps.

“Don’t see your resolutions as promises for the New Year. Instead consider them lifestyle resolutions for the year.

“So, take a long term view. Start off by putting your goals in writing to formalise them and then plan how you are going to achieve them. Review your resolutions and revisit your plan often, be prepared for setbacks, be patient and never forget why you made the promise to yourself in the first place. Do what it takes to stay motivated. You will be rewarded.”