Goal-setting in the New Year: how to make a resolution, and keep it

We are just days away from the New Year, which means many are rushing to make New Year’s resolutions.

With good intentions and the hope of a fresh start, goals can be easy to make, but they aren’t always so easy to stick to.

So how can you follow through on this year’s ambitious resolutions?

Clinical psychologist Dr Caitlin Grace from Surf Coast Mind Body Health said before making any resolutions, it is important to take time to reflect on the year that has been and on your priorities for the new year.

“It’s always good to reflect on ‘What’s important to me’ and ‘Is there anything in my life that I would like to be different or isn’t sitting quite where I want it to be’, and then within that space considering what those goals towards change might look like.”

Once you establish what areas you would like to grow and improve in, Dr Grace said the first step in setting an effective goal is taking a balanced approach.

“I see most often is that people go for a very all or nothing, black and white approach to their new year’s goals.

“When we are ridged like that it sets up a very unrealistic expectation for ourselves and also it doesn’t leave any wiggle room.”

Secondly, Dr Grace said to be specific in your goal-setting.

“Be specific, because when we’re vague or ambiguous often it’s much harder to acknowledge when we do achieve our goals or feel incentivised to do them.”

Next, Dr Grace said to make sure the goals are realistic for you in the context of your life and everything else you need to navigate.

Finally, she said to look at making the goals measurable or achievable so you’re able to acknowledge that achievement along the way.

“Figuring out how you’re going to measure that progress along the way or some sort of markers you have that you’re moving in the right direction.”

“It can be really helpful to chop our goal into more manageable goals. Think about eating an apple one bite at a time.”

Dr Grace’s five top tips are:

1. Don’t have an all or nothing attitude
2. Be specific
3. Make sure your goals are realistic in the context of your life
4. Make progress measurable
5. Break it up.

Evolve Therapy Geelong family therapist Lizzy Hodges said it was also important to make sure you approach making New Year’s resolutions with grace for yourself.

“New Year’s can be a time where people are flooded with this concept of needing to change or reinvent themselves, which can be problematic for some.

“Ultimately, it’s saying ‘Hey you aren’t good enough, you need to change’. So it is important to approach a resolution with caution, is it something you want to do for you or because you are told to? If you want to do it for you, then great!”

Hodges said you are also most likely to be successful in maintaining goals you set without external pressure.

“If a part of your life has been niggling at you or causing you to be unhappy or stressed, it’d be likely helpful to have a deeper think about whether things need to be changed and what that may look like. Thinking about ‘what is working well vs what needs improvement’.”

Next, Hodges said it was important to make your goals specific so it isn’t overwhelming.

“First identify your goal – i.e “For 2023 I want to exercise more – and then break it down. Consider things such as: what does “more” actually mean; how will I incorporate that into my life; what things do I need to tweak to be able to achieve my goal (getting up earlier, changing work hours etc), how will I track progress,” Hodges said.

“The more specific you make it, the more you can break it down and incorporate the steps you need to in order to achieve your goal.”

To follow through on your goals in 2023, Hodges’ top five tips are:

1. Making sure it’s because you want to do it rather than feel you have to
2. Breaking the resolution down in parts to be more specific which makes it feel more attainable
3. Share your goal with people you trust for added support
4. Try to have a relaxed mindset approaching the goal. Pressure doesn’t equate to success
5. Go easy on yourself – if you don’t stick to it, it’s no big deal, try again when you’re ready.

“People like the New Year as a fresh start and as a chance to create new habits, which is a great opportunity for people. It is just important to remember to be kind to oneself and not put some much pressure on yourself,” Hodges said.