We're just over a week into 2020, and if you've already abandoned your New Year's resolutions, you're not alone. About 80% of people will give up on theirs by mid-February.
But according to some new research, there are specific things you can do to increase your odds of succeeding. In fact, people following these five steps ACHIEVED their goals 80% of the time . . .
1. Pick one goal. Don't try to change everything at once . . . like losing weight AND building your savings AND getting a promotion. Pick the one that's most important. The more focused you are, the better your odds of success.
2. Put it in writing. You're much less likely to lose focus if you have your goal in front of you every day.
3. Make your goal public. Tell some trusted friends, let your boss or coworkers know, or even post your goal on social media.
This is a tough one for most people, because if you give up, it can be embarrassing. But it also gives you an incentive to stick with it.
4. Keep yourself accountable. This is a little different than just making your goals public.
This involves getting a friend, coworker, or family member involved directly . . . like meeting up with them to go to the gym together before work. If you have an obligation to show up with someone else, you're not going to want to let them down.
5. Have a plan if you fail. So many of us end up not meeting our goals because we go in with an "all or nothing" mentality, and when we inevitably slip up, we get discouraged and give up.
Instead, go in EXPECTING to have a few setbacks along the way, and have a plan for how to regroup when they DO happen.
(Forbes)