What is a New Year’s Resolution ?
New Year’s resolutions are a tradition , in many parts of the world , whereby you make a promise to yourself and sometimes to others , to improve your character and personality in some way . The first records of New Year Resolutions date back to the Babylonians , who made resolutions … to return everything they had borrowed and … to pay back all debts that they owed !
Examples
This is an example of a New Year’s resolution dating back to the early 20th century by the Bishop , John H. Vincent .
- A RESOLVE for every morning of the New Year , I will this day try to live a simple , sincere and serene life , repelling promptly every thought of discontent , anxiety , discouragement , impurity and self-seeking ; … cultivating cheerfulness , magnanimity , charity , and the habit of holy silence , exercising economy in expenditure , carefulness in conversation , diligence in appointed service , fidelity to every trust and a child-like trust in God .
A second example from the same source goes as follows …
- Resolve to renew all your old resolves , and add a few that are new . Resolve to keep them as long as you can ; … what more can a poor man do !
Tradition
The first tradition of New Year’s Resolutions is rooted in religious philosophy . It is born out of Atonement , whereby one would reflect on their sins and wrongdoings over the past year , and seek forgiveness for these . Examples of these religiously inspired resolutions include ; volunteering to help the poor , giving to charity , be less grumpy and more civil towards our fellow man .
The second is rooted in the human need of self-improvement or self-actualization . Some of these examples include ; losing weight , exercising more , taking language classes , or studying music .
As you are very aware , the list of resolutions , and courses of self-improvement is so long and varied that it contains perhaps more examples than there are people on this planet .
Rate of Failure
The rate of Failure , for New Year’s resolutions participants , has been estimated to be close to 90% … this is an incredible number and these are 3 of the main reasons , why so many people discontinue their resolutions – within the first 10 days of the New Year .
- unrealistic goals
- no plans to track their progress , and
- too many resolutions
Is it any wonder then why their track record is so poor .
Solutions
Here are the 3 simple solutions to success in ‘sticking’ to this year’s resolutions .
- break down your resolutions into smaller ‘bite-size’ pieces ! ex. 1.) instead of trying to lose 30 pounds , try losing 2-3 pounds in your first month … ex. 2.) instead of trying to read 1 book a week , try finishing 1 book …
- have a plan , just a simple plan , and a means to track your progress ! ex. 1.) track your progress on a calendar or in a scribbler ; record your daily activities in the quest towards your new resolve … ex. 2.) in the beginning , list 1 or 2 things that you WILL do towards the achievement of your goal …
- DO NOT make so many resolutions … make just ONE ! … this is the key to your success ! if you only make … 1(one) … resolution , your chances of success will increase tremendously . If you succeed with your first resolution , think of how much easier the next one will be .
Success Rate
Even though the rate of failure is about 90% , rest assured , that the the rate of success is … 10% ! If you were investing in the world of finance , a 10% return on investment (ROI) would be considered quite successful and well appreciated indeed .
To Reiterate
Make only 1 resolution ! – Have a plan ! – Break it down into small pieces !
Our world is full of men and women who have achieved greatness . In the world of the Arts , the Sciences , the Sports World , the Humanities and in all the fields of human endeavor , the list of accomplishments is almost endless .
Remember to focus on one goal , have a plan , and tackle it in ‘bite’ sized pieces . This is a solution that produces results . It has produced results for me and for many others before me . TRY IT ! … It will work for you !
I would be very happy to hear about your Success Rate and How you manage to achieve it . I also welcome any and all comments towards the pursuit of this goal !