It’s that time of year when everyone thinks about making New Year’s resolutions. If you’re like most Americans, you probably have lofty goals to lose weight and get fit, to learn a new language or start a new career. There’s nothing wrong with these goals, but they are kind of ambitious. Most people, about 80 percent or more, don’t stick with their resolutions past February. No matter how good your intentions are, it can be difficult to accomplish goals that are not specific, measurable, achievable and realistic. Instead of giving up your resolutions, let’s look at how you can make changes in your life that will get you where you want to be.

Tips for Setting New Year’s Resolutions

• Instead of making an entire page of personal and professional goals, prioritize. Choose three things that you really want to focus on. It’s great to be ambitious, but it’s difficult to keep up with dozens of goals. Choose one thing that you want to stop. Choose one thing that you want to start. Choose one thing that you want to continue.
• Stop thinking, “What if I fail.” Replace it with, “What if I succeed.” You should visualize the successful achievement of a goal. See yourself practicing new habits or ending bad ones. But you need to take it one step further and replace negative talk with positive affirmations. When you doubt yourself, it’s hard to fulfill your dreams.
• Get others involved. Every business, for-profit and nonprofits alike, has stakeholders that support its success. You should establish a group of supporters who will help you push toward your own success.
• Track your benchmarks. Celebrate your accomplishments along the way. Don’t just look at the long-term goal, but think about small goals you can reach as you move toward your ultimate plan. There’s a reason parents and teachers use stickers to help kids see their progress on a chart. Find what motivates you and earn rewards.

Small Changes Lead to Lasting Results

One popular resolution that many make is to exercise more. Using this as an example, imagine what would happen to your muscles if you went out tomorrow and decided to lift weights for an hour. You might be able to push through the pain and make the effort to manage the feat, but your muscles would be screaming later that day and probably the next morning. It would be difficult to continue that effort without taking steps to get stronger by increments. Your body is sore the next morning; you take a day off. Over time, because you can’t keep up that pace, you just give up.

Instead of making a complete overhaul to your diet or routine, make small changes. On Mondays, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Plan one day a week to do something fun that gets you moving without having to go to the gym. Wash the car. Dance. Play basketball with the kids in the driveway. Make incremental changes that won’t push you too hard, but will still push you toward your goals.

Once you have these small changes implemented into your routine, add another project. On Wednesdays, instead of eating a donut at your desk during break, go for a quick walk outside to enjoy fresh air, nature and movement. Use your afternoon break to do some stretches instead of working through it.

Don’t Give Up

Don’t be one of the millions of Americans who give up on their resolutions in February or March. Even if you have a bad day when you don’t make your goal, just do better the next day. Feel free to adjust your goals if they aren’t working. Make 2018 the year of change, but take small steps to get there.