Succeed at your New Year's resolution with a proven plan

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - The top New Year’s resolutions haven't varied much from the previous year’s, with just a change in the rank order...depending on what survey you read. What hasn’t changed is the method that ensures the success of your New Year’s resolution.

The top resolutions for the majority of the population will more than likely fall into this category…

Americans' 2016 New Year's resolutions according to GO Banking Rates:


Enjoy life to the fullest

Live a healthier lifestyle

Lose weight

Spend more time with family and friends

Save more, spend less

Pay down debt

Enjoy life to the fullest is the top resolution of residents in 30 states, Texas included.

Other surveys appear consistent with this alternative rank order…


Spend more time with family & friends

Lose weight

Exercise

Quit smoking

Enjoy life more

Quit drinking alcohol

Get out of debt

Which is similar to the 2015 list produced by Statistic Brain Research institute a year ago…


Lose weight

Get organized

Spend less, save more

Enjoy life to the fullest

Stay fit and healthy

Learn something exciting

Quit smoking

Help others

Fall in love

Spend more time with family

Although the top resolutions don’t change year after year, it’s significant to point out that those who make resolutions reaffirm their commitment to try again. Approximately half of Americans make New Year’s resolutions (45%); only 8 percent are usually successful. The other 37 percent are still reputed to be ten times more likely in attaining their goals than those who don't make resolutions.

The emphasis should be on how to increase the success of New Year’s Resolutions. There are many self-help sites with information on how to succeed and they’re consistent with the following advice...


Set goals that align with your core values.

Establish short term, achievable goals and be specific.

Make a plan. Establish a process that is sustainable.

Put it in writing. A Stanford University study showed the probability of success at over 70% when written down.

Failure is not an excuse to quit. Consider it an isolated lapse, and continue on.

Reward yourself upon achieving incremental successes.

There are numerous apps designed to help you succeed. The free “Quit That!” app lets users put a price on how much the habit they're quitting, costs per day. It accumulates the cost over time of how much quitting a habit like smoking, a daily latte, or happy hour, is saving you. (Available for iOS users.)

“Lift” is another free app that tracks your progress with goals you’ve set, providing community support and celebrating your successes. (Lift is free on iOS and Android.)

When ‘Ditch Your New Year’s Resolutions Day’ rolls around, January 17, 71 percent will still be adhering to their commitment; the use of these apps is intended to increase that percentage. Make a New Year’s resolution, follow the steps recommended by self-help advisers, and do your best to stick to it. Know that any measure of success will be instrumental in making you a better person.

#HappyNewYear