How to Finally Make Your New Years Resolution Stick

New Years resolutions are a time where we can imagine how we would like ourselves to be, then, aim to achieve that, and then give up a few weeks later.  There is a reason that almost all New Years resolutions fail, but this year I will show you how to make them stick.

Here is the key… you have to make your goal become part of your life without consciously having to do it.

Simple? Confusing? Both?

Ok, I will explain… when you have to consciously force yourself to do something e.g go to the gym… there is the option to talk yourself out of doing it. For example, my back hurts a bit, I will go to the gym tomorrow, or, I will do extra exercise tomorrow, and will skip today etc…

But the goal is to make it a habit, a part of your daily routine, an inescapable routine.

I must stress that I am terrible with New Years Resolutions, so please don’t think I am preaching here. However, this year I started a goal that I have tried over 10 times previously, and on all 10 times, I failed within the first 48 hours.

That goal is: to speak nothing but Spanish with Elena (my fiance)

I have tried this many, many times, and I always find an excuse not to continue with it. But this time I told Elena that under no circumstances should she respond to me if I speak English… also, if I fail to do this, then we are going to sell the house and move back to the UK.

Hows that for not giving yourself a choice?!?

We have been testing it for the past few days, and it is working great. By not having a choice, I am less conscious of doing it, this means I am not nervous, nor do I have a voice trying to talk me out of it. I either do it, or I do it, there are no other feasible options.

So let’s say you wanted to exercise more. Why not get your other half to hide the car keys each morning, thus meaning you have to go to work on foot? If you live between 5 mins and 1 hours walk from your home, then this is perfect. You simply exercise or lose your job, therefore meaning you have no choice but to JUST DO IT.

So this year, try and find a way of making sure you have no way of backing out of your New Years resolution, and maybe it will stick.

Happy New Year guys and gals, it has been a great year, and I hope you all enjoyed reading my posts.

I look forward to speaking to you all again in 08.

Dean