New Year’s resolutions are like a little test to see how committed to self-improvement you really are. Do you have the determination and force of will to put your word into action? Because as much as most people say, “I’m going to start doing such and such from now on”, most people don’t. It’s that simple. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Decide what you want to improve

You can have as many resolutions as you like. Just make sure they’re well thought-out and that they’re reasonable. Don’t say, “I’m going to run a marathon every month”. Make sure it’s something you can really do and that you want to do. You can make a resolution to exercise more, to become more productive, to be a better friend, or to make more money. The choice is yours. Just make sure you want it.

Make your resolutions reasonable and actionable

Don’t say, “I’m going to be the best person in the world from now on” because you won’t. Make them reasonable and actionable. You can make a resolution to go to the gym three times a week, or to make more time for your friends and family. The more specific you make them, the more likely they are to happen. Remember, the average person makes around eight resolutions each year. If you’re one of the unlucky ones who fails to make them happen every single year, don’t feel bad. Just try again and make sure your resolutions are reasonable and specific enough to make them realistic.

Set a time frame

Some people set a time frame for their goals, like “I’m going to lose weight and get fit by summer”. Others don’t. It’s up to you how you want to go about it. But if you set a time frame, you’ll be more likely to succeed. If you want to learn a new language, set a time frame for it. You’re more likely to get it done if you have a deadline. If you don’t set a time frame, you might just keep putting off the things you want to do indefinitely. So if you want to start a business, set a deadline for it. If you want to write a book, set a deadline for it. You se where we’re going with this.

Write down your resolutions and your reasons why

This is an excellent way to not only set yourself up for success but also to make sure you don’t forget about your resolutions. Make sure you write them down somewhere you can see them every day. You can do this with a notebook or a journal, or you can put them on your phone or computer so you can see them constantly. If you’re serious about making your resolutions happen, write them down. It’s a lot more likely that you’ll succeed if you write them down than if you don’t. Plus, writing them down is a good way to start thinking about them and making them happen. And to make this easier, there are a lot of apps you can use to also help hold yourself accountable.

Make only one resolution per category

Don’t make five resolutions for work and five resolutions for home life. Make sure you only make one resolution per category because then it’s more likely that you’ll succeed. For example, if one of your resolutions is to go to the gym three times a week, don’t make another resolution to go to yoga twice a week. Just focus on the one resolution and make sure you don’t spread yourself too thin. Do one thing at a time until you get it done, then move on to the next thing.

Don’t be too strict on yourself

You don’t want to set yourself up for failure before you even start. Make sure you don’t set your resolutions too strict because it’s more likely that you’ll fail if you do. Just make sure you try your best to make your resolutions happen. If you fail, don’t freak out. Just try again. That’s the only way you’ll succeed.

Make the most of your New Year!

New Year’s Eve is a perfect opportunity to reflect on the year that’s passed and to make resolutions for the year to come. Enjoy the celebrations and traditions that come with New Year’s Eve — like fireworks and parties — but also make time to sit down and really consider what you want to achieve in the year ahead. New Year’s Day is a great time to begin the year anew — it’s the perfect day to sit down and begin drafting your resolutions!

Conclusion

Make sure you set yourself up for success by making reasonable resolutions and setting yourself up with an accountability system. Try not to be too strict on yourself and just try your best to make your resolutions happen. Once you do, you’ll feel better about yourself and be more likely to succeed in life.