Making New Year's Resolutions That Stick

 The New Year always seems to bring a sense of hope that things can be better than they were the year prior. I always seem to make grandiose plans of the 1,001 ways I will become the person I’ve always wanted to be in 365 days flat. If I’m really serious, I may make a tracker chart or write down my goals. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the year my resolution makes it to December… or at least March. The resolutions always seem to be lofty and vague. Lose weight. Ready my Bible more. Have a better prayer life. Use social media less. But these types of goals never seem to get me very far. 

You’ve probably caught yourself with these types of goals a time or three. Trust me, I know how hard they can be to keep. Planning and goal setting is even biblical and wise (Prov. 16:3,9; 19:21; 29:18.) I don’t keep all of my plans perfectly, but I’ve found a few ways to make goals a bit more attainable. As you think about the New Year ahead, I’ve put together the best ways I’ve found to keep your New Year’s resolutions all year long!

1)     Keep them in line with God’s Word

Goals are healthy, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to do better. But don’t ever get mixed up in thinking that you can do everything on your own. We know that without Christ we can’t do anything (John 15:5.) Start thinking about what you would like to accomplish, write it down, and then pray over your list. Ask these questions of yourself, and seek God about them:

-        Are these things in line with God’s Word?

-        Are they healthy for you spiritually?

-        Are these going to distract me from my purpose?

-        Is this helping me walk closer to God?

Sometimes, things are not in God’s will for us. Pray for acceptance of God’s will, because we know we can trust Him to make decisions that are ultimately healthy for us and aren’t just what seem good in the moment. It is easier to make goals when you ask God what you should be striving toward, and it makes them easier to accomplish because you know that God is rooting for you every step of the way. It’s important to see our goals through the lens of the Bible, and that can motivate us and allow God to direct our paths (Prov. 3:4-5.) For example, you may want to lose weight or start eating healthier in the new year. But what is your motivation? Is it to please society or to look a certain way? Or are you motivated by taking care of your body because it is the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16-17)? These shifts in how we view our goals can help us make better decisions daily and be more successful in the long run!

2)     Make a SMART goal

Another way to step closer to success is to avoid vagueness in our plans. Sticking with the example from above (eating healthier/lose weight), we don’t see any plan to accomplish our goals. How much weight do we want to lose? How will we alter our diet? What do we consider a success? These questions remain unanswered by our current goal. If we fail to plan, then we plan to fail. Instead, we can reframe our goal to be a SMART goal. It is a template you may have seen before, but it is a way to make your goals as concrete as possible before executing them. Here are the pieces of a SMART goal with a brief explanation of each and utilizing our example from before:

-        Specific: clearly outlines what you want to be accomplished

-        Measurable: sets a way to keep track of progress (typically numeric)

-        Attainable: something you know you can do, but not too easily. Your goal should push you without being over the top.

-        Realistic: understand that there will be obstacles along the way, so don’t expect something out of yourself that isn’t going to feasibly happen

-        Time-bound: set a deadline to check your progress.

Example: By December 31, 2021, I will lose at least 15 lbs through weekly planning nutritionally balanced meals on Saturdays and exercising Mondays, Wednesdays, and alternating Fridays.

It is easy to give up on a goal when there is no direction for it. Creating a plan of action ahead of time can help you reach your goal, even on the bad days when you don’t feel like it!

3)     Create benchmarks for yourself & have grace

Devise accountability for yourself. Check in at the end of every week, month, etc. and review how you are doing. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments as necessary, and don’t expect perfection from yourself. Work through small chunks over time rather than trying to plan a year in advance. Instead, make yourself be involved in your goal periodically so that you can stay on top of progress. Come up with an end goal in mind, and break down smaller, more manageable pieces to focus on every month. Allow yourself room for mistakes and instead of beating yourself down for it, use it to fuel your motivation moving forward.

Goalsetting and planning can be tedious, but creating goals through the lens of Scripture, having a plan of action, and providing benchmarks and flexibility allows us to make the most of our time spent achieving those goals. Instead of trying to change everything in your life all at once, go for pieces at a time that are manageable. When you ask God about your goals and where you are going, it becomes exciting to think about your aspirations and dreams. Slowly, you’ll see God shaping you in ways you never imagined, all from small steps in the right direction.