073 - Why New Years Resolutions Fail and What You Can Do About It

Dec 4, 2019

So, it's almost time for New Year's resolutions and in all honesty, I'm not a fan. And it's because I don't believe in waiting for an arbitrary date to start changing your life.

I mean, if you're ready and willing to make a change, then do it now. Waiting until January 1 makes no sense to me.

But there are hundreds of millions of people who disagree with me and set resolutions so today I'm going to share why the vast majority fail and what you can do to avoid that failure.

I read a statistic that only 8% stick to their resolution all year and that's crazy to me. Why is it so low?

It's because of these reasons:

• Resolutions are nothing more than goals and goals need to meet a few criteria to work. Using the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting method works well for most and most goals are set far too vague and broad. "I want to lose weight and be healthier" isn't a goal. It's a wish. Instead try "I will lose 30 pounds by March 1 by following XYZ program and cutting out all fast foods and soda".
• Most people know "what" they want to accomplish, but few know "why". Having a deep emotional reason to see your resolution through is critical yet most don't take the time to find it. Just wanting to lose weight or get fit is nice, but if you don't have a deep desire to do it, it will likely fail.
• Most people try to achieve their resolutions on sheer willpower. Willpower is a very finite resource and when it runs out, you're back at square one. How about having a written set plan of action instead? Not only that, take action every single day.
• Many make the mistake of choosing resolutions that aren't in alignment with their beliefs, values, and actual wants. Make sure your goal is something you truly desire.
• Many people also don't actually believe that they can accomplish their resolutions. For example, someone who has failed on multiple diets over the course of years and has all but given up hope of finding success will likely fail again if they set a goal that isn't realistic and believable. Meaning that if they don't think they can do it, just merely want it, then it's really just a wish. Instead, set a very small and attainable goal and reward yourself for each small victory. Don't try to lose 50 pounds and reward yourself, do it at 10. Break it down into scalable and small wins.
• Another huge issue that can lead to crushing failure is not having a support system around you. If you've been struggling with your goal and you don't change the people you're around, you'll likely struggle. I've seen firsthand the immense power of having a tribe or group of like-minded people working together and it can definitely mean the difference between success and failure. Our Inner Circle is proof that working as part of a tribe helps us become better. See FDNIC.com for more on our group.

My hope is that you take some of this advice and use it to make the changes you want in your life. Don't waste another day waiting for a certain day, do it now.