How to keep your New Year’s resolutions

2022 is right around the corner and many are using the holiday season to make a list of goals for the next year. Did you know that only 22% of these people will keep their New Year’s resolutions? To be part of this number, preparation is a must. Whether you want to run your first marathon or climb more than 30 mountains in 2022, we have a few advises to help you achieve your goal.

Step 1: Choose your resolutions wisely

Before everything else, to stick to your resolutions, they need to be important to you. Wanting to run an ultramarathon just because you see more and more people achieving one might not be the best incentive. However, if you want to cross the finish line of your first marathon because you want to be in a good shape and healthy, you will be way more motivated to accomplish it.

Also be cautious of the length of your list. Having one that is too long will use a lot of your energy. Selecting only one or two goals for the year will allow you to put more effort into each one and to see them become reality.

In order to achieve this ultimate goal, it should be well defined. To do so, you can use the SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time bound).

• Specific: Be as precise as possible when setting your goal. The more specific you are, the more you will find ways to work toward your resolution.
• Measurable: Identify one metric to help you follow the progression of your objective. You will have a more concrete monitoring of the work you make to stick to your resolution.
• Achievable: Make sure your resolution is achievable for you. If you have never ran in your entire life and aim for doing a marathon in the beginning of summer, the chances of you getting discouraged along the way are high.
• Relevant: Take into consideration that your resolution should correspond to the lifestyle you want as a long-term goal. It will be way easier to achieve your objective is you are doing it for the right reason (be in good health, for example) than if you want to reach it to be like everyone else.
• Time bound: Identify the moment when your resolution should be complete. Having a predetermined finish line will make your goal seem more concrete and motivate you to achieve it.

“I want to hike more” will be a difficult resolution to keep. However, “I want to climb 10 different summits before June” is a realistic goal for a beginning hiker.

Step 2: Have a realistic plan

No matter the resolution you make for 2022, you need to be ready to work to achieve it. Start by writing it down. You will see, having it on paper will give it a more concrete aspect. Determining steps to get to your goal will help you stay motivated during the whole process. You can even write a follow-up journal, where you can keep track of the progress of these steps.

You might encounter more difficult times. It would be naïve to believe the way up to your goal will only be positive. If it was the case, it would not be a true challenge! Before even starting the journey mentioned above, plan actions you can take if your motivation falls apart, in order to be able to react immediately. Try to focus on how much you already achieved. That will remind you all you have been able to accomplish since the beginning of the year.

If you experience a step back, use this occasion to analyze the situation. What caused this setback? How did you overcome this difficulty? The answers to these questions will help you be more prepared if another event of this type occurs. Learn from these moments of weakness and adapt your strategy to conquer them.

Step 3: Be well surrounded

It will probably be difficult to keep your motivation all year long. That is why being part of a group is a good idea to help you achieve your objective. No matter if it is a running club, a Facebook group or even two or three friends with the same resolution, being part of a community will help you reach your goal. Sharing your successes will be rewarding and you will find support during more difficult periods.

Even if the people around you do not have the same resolutions as you, do not be shy to share with them what your goal is for the next year. Keep them updated on your progress and check in with theirs too. With these exchanges, you will be more likely to keep working to avoid announcing your failure.

As you can see, keeping a New Year’s resolution takes a lot of motivation and dedication. However, it is not impossible, and we wish you all wonderful success for 2022.