Make SMART plan to fulfill resolutions

Dr. Jack Rutherford

Dr. Jack Rutherford

Dr. Jack Rutherford / Dr. Jack on Health and Fitness



Posted: Sunday, January 4, 2015 11:28 am

Make SMART plan to fulfill resolutions

Jack Rutherford / Dr. Jack on health and
fitness

Richmond Register

Every year, people make New Year’s resolutions. And every year, a majority of them fail to keep those resolutions.

In 2014, 39 percent of people in their 20s and 14 percent of people over 50 achieved their resolution, according to the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology.

A major reason why people do not achieve their resolutions is that they haven’t made a plan to go along with their goal. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

Whether the goal is losing weight, getting organized or spending less and saving more (three of the most common resolutions in 2014), having a SMART plan can help you become successful.

Imagine starting a business without a set of goals. Making a resolution is much the same. Take your goal and make it a SMART one by doing the following:

Make it Specific

Be very specific about what it is you want to achieve and why. If your goal is to spend less and save more, indicate how you will spend less. Perhaps you will set a monetary limit on how much you will spend on Christmas or birthday presents.

How will you save money? Will you arrange to set aside so much from each paycheck? And for what purpose?

Take some time to think about these things before you write down your resolutions.

Make it Measurable

How will you know whether you’ve achieved the goal if you don’t measure it? The goal should be quantitative.

Depending on the goal, you may need to set up a chart or other method of tracking your progress.

Make it Attainable

Having a goal is one thing, but if the goal is unattainable, then success becomes a remote possibility.

Take weight loss for example. You may wish to lose 50 pounds in a year, but unless you are committed to a drastic combination of exercise and severe caloric restriction, that goal is unrealistic.

Set a goal that is challenging but that with effort can be achieved within the time you set.

Make it Relevant

How does the resolution tie into your life? Be clear, so that you know what you’re trying to accomplish is important to you.

People who resolve to get organized often do so because they have faced specific consequences for not doing so in their personal or professional lives.

For example, a person who is frequently late for work may find their job at stake if they don’t change their behavior.

Make it Timely

Establish target dates and milestones to help keep you on track. Target dates give you a finite end to your plan. This often helps with the motivation needed.

Likewise, setting milestones allows the opportunity of revisiting your goal to determine why you are not making progress so you can reshape your strategy.

New Year’s resolution example

Specific – I want to improve my cardiovascular health by doing regular cardiovascular exercise so that I can enjoy recreation time with my family.

Measurable – I will do 30 minutes of cardio exercise at least six I plan it in advance in my weekly schedule.

Relevant – I want to decrease my chances of coronary heart disease and increase my ability to enjoy life with my family.

Timely – I will revisit my goal monthly with the end goal of keeping the plan for a year or longer.

You will increase your chances of sticking with and achieving your resolution if you choose just one goal. Rates of success drop markedly when more than one goal is selected. Also, enlist the help of others to keep you on track. Tell your family, friends and co-workers and they will be your fan club. Finally, reward yourself when you reach a milestone. It’s important to celebrate progress along the way. It helps keep you motivated and enthused, especially if you experience a setback.


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Sunday, January 4, 2015 11:28 am.

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