Why don't New Year's resolutions stick?
Before we jump into how to set goals that last, let’s take a step back to think about how most people think about New Year’s resolutions.
If you think about New Year’s resolutions, they’re often big sweeping changes that we expect will change our lives overnight: lose 30 pounds in one month, run a marathon this summer, or start going to the gym every day.
These goals may seem like great ideas at first glance since they are associated with living a healthy lifestyle or being in shape. But without a plan in place that addresses precisely how you will make the changes or handle setbacks, you might be setting yourself up for failure, especially if you are brand new to exercise or diet changes.
If your goal is too far out of reach from the start, it’s easy to get discouraged and give up. This is especially true if you don’t see immediate results from your hard work. Maintaining motivation is much more challenging when progress feels slow or non-existent.
Does this mean you shouldn’t even think about making significant changes? No way! It’s essential to have goals that inspire us. But it’s also crucial that our goals are realistic and achievable. We’re more likely to stick with them in the long run if we know there is a tangible end goal in sight.
Instead, we can use those bigger goals as long-term motivation but set smaller, more realistic goals that help us get closer to our desired outcome.
Focus on habits, not outcomes
When setting goals, it’s helpful to distinguish between outcome goals and habit goals. Outcome goals are often the end results we want to achieve, like “lose 10 lbs,” whereas habit goals focus on the actions and routines that can lead to those outcomes, like “exercise three times per week.” By prioritizing habit-based goals, you’re more likely to build sustainable changes that contribute to your long-term success.
Why habit goals matter
Rather than zeroing in on a specific result, aim to cultivate habits that will help you get there. For instance, instead of setting a goal like “lose weight quickly,” consider adopting habits such as “add vegetables to my meals three times a week.” These smaller, consistent actions create a foundation that naturally supports your broader goals over time.
What are SMART goals?
The acronym SMART stands for:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-sensitive
Let’s take a look at what each one of these letters stands for.
Specific: What and how do you want to achieve your goal?
Specific means spelling out exactly what you want to achieve. A New Year’s resolution of “eat a healthier diet” isn’t specific enough because it doesn’t give us any information about how you will do this. What does eating healthier actually mean to you? Instead, you can ask yourself, what exactly do I want to accomplish, and how will I do it? An example could be:
"I will eat healthier over the next two months by reducing alcohol to two drinks a week and adding two servings of vegetables each day. "
Think about what you can specifically add or remove that will really help you reach your goal.
Measurable: How will you track your success?
A measurable goal is one that you can track to keep you accountable and motivated. Without tracking, it may be difficult to see how much progress you are making.
For example, if you want to walk for fifteen minutes five days a week, look at your calendar ahead of time and plan out which days will work with your schedule. Each time you walk, you can check off the activity. Simply seeing the check marks can keep you motivated and help you keep track.
Maybe your goal is to get more sleep. In this case, track it with your favorite app. Seeing patterns can keep you accountable and help you see where you can make adjustments to help you reach your goal.
Attainable: What’s realistic for you?
An attainable goal is something that you have control over, but it’s still challenging enough to push yourself out of your comfort zone. A SMART New Year’s resolution helps you set a goal that you can realistically meet based on your current situation while understanding barriers that could interfere.
For example, maybe you want to start running but have never run before. Signing up for a marathon may not make sense, but committing to daily lunch walks to start could be an option.
Smaller changes, like making sure you include a vegetable at each meal, could be an excellent way to improve your diet.
Relevant: What is important to you?
A relevant goal aligns with your health goals, values, and what’s important to you. Exercise, diet, stress, and sleep can all make a big difference, so choosing just one to focus on can help you get closer.
Your smaller goals should all be based on your long-term health goals because they add up to helping you reach that bigger goal over time.
Time-sensitive: Keep yourself accountable
A time-sensitive goal has an end date and motivates you to work hard in the short term to achieve your goal. Without a time limit, it’s easy to put off goals or resolutions until “later,” which may never come.
Whether your goal is for a month or six months, breaking it up into smaller chunks can keep you focused.
Setbacks are frustrating but normal
When setting goals for long-lasting changes, it’s completely normal to experience setbacks. A setback means temporarily losing sight of your plan or experiencing a slight bump in your progress.
This doesn’t mean that you have failed. In fact, it’s a normal part of the process, and recognizing this can help you. Don’t give up just because you had a bad day or week. Life happens. Just recommit yourself and remind yourself why you wanted to make changes in the first place.
Take your SMART goals even further
If you want to set diabetes-specific goals but don’t know where to start or just want some accountability, we can help. 9amHealth works with you to create a care plan tailored to your needs to support your New Year's resolutions all year long.
