The most important investments require TIME. Setting and achieving a resolution requires focus, effort, and commitment. Changing old habits and developing new ones will not happen overnight. The following guidelines are meant to help you achieve all of your New Year’s Resolutions:

Focus on one resolution at a time. Make a list of your resolutions, prioritize them, and validate each of them.  Do they make sense to focus on right now?  It is wiser to focus on the right resolution than to start one you are not committed to.

Create a sense of accountability. Designate a friend, mentor, or companion for sharing successes, monitoring progress, and offering support. The benefit of involving others in your goals and plans is instant access to experience, knowledge, and wisdom— it also raises the bar of responsibility.

Research indicates that one of the qualities of those who are successful at making changes is that they have excellent support systems. Many of those who make resolutions never tell others about them. Consciously or subconsciously, that way if they fail no one will view them as a failure.

Communicating your resolution and intentions actually increases your accountability to the behavior. From the very beginning it is important to share your objectives and goals with those around you so that you can enlist their support. Knowing that you are accountable to someone other than yourself will help to keep you on track.

Persist until completed. A resolution achieved is a stunning example of consistency and hard work. If you fall behind schedule or are sidetracked for any reason, refocus! Just DO NOT give up! Do not surrender to temptation, difficulty or temporary failure. Persist until you achieve the goal.

Cultivate personal integrity. Integrity gives you the oxygen needed to cross the finish line of accomplishment. Your commitment determines your level of success. This commitment boils down to two essential tactics: DAILY ACTION AND REVIEW.

I wish you a New Year of health and happiness. Believe in yourself and you will achieve!

Good Luck and Happy 2016!

Also see “Making life style changes that last” from the American Psychological Association.