Thousands of individuals gather to celebrate New Year’s Eve, with each family or group of friends finding their own traditions to follow. An incredibly popular tradition — mentioned anywhere from elementary school projects to self-improvement courses — remains a New Year’s resolution. A new year may seem like the perfect opportunity to implement change, but the success behind sticking to those ambitions lies in the principles of goal setting.
Framing, the chief principle in goal setting, allows an individual to understand the necessary steps to achieving their objectives. By framing a goal in a manner that removes all vagueness about achieving the resolution, individuals can focus on the exact goal they desire to achieve. For example, it may seem tempting to simply state that in the new year, an individual will follow healthier habits, but this goal remains too subjective, as each person defines health differently. Instead, choosing specific habits to follow and phrasing a goal to apply to those habits will lead to success.
Another principle, implementing a goal into everyday life through subtle steps, will increase the likelihood of the objective’s success. For example, if an individual hopes to improve their writing abilities, stating the goal would not, for example, allow a person to understand the basics of an Oxford comma. Rephrasing a goal into a daily habit allows for easy implementation of activities that bring individuals closer to that accomplishment. As previously stated, a student aiming to better their writing could set the goal of reading a challenging piece of literature or journaling for 20 minutes a day. This method allows for a plan not to fall short if it seems overbearing, but to become a habit that sneaks its way into everyday life.
“I feel like I can achieve my resolutions somehow, like if I put a constant reminder on my phone. This would be especially helpful if it were something I had to do every day, so I could make sure that I was following through with it. It feels great if I can look back on my year and feel accomplished with what I did,” senior CJ Goff said.
In addition to other principles, a goal without realism cannot survive the turmoils of everyday life. Although it may seem tempting to shoot for the stars and potentially accomplish proficiency, high expectations may backfire. If an individual sets an unrealistic resolution, they may surrender all will to fulfill any objective. Identifying the feasibility, time frame and relevance can provide individuals with the opportunity to keep their goals afloat.
Overall, transforming for the better and quitting harmful habits serve a significant role in physical and mental health. Up to 64% of individuals quit their new year’s resolution by the end of January, and only 6% stick to their resolution throughout the whole year. Following a format to achieve goals will maintain the motivation and possibility of fulfilling the desired outcomes.
“New Year’s resolutions give more acceptance to change, in my opinion. You can really accomplish all you want and be the person you dream of being. I love them; it’s a great system to refresh and restart. I’ve done countless New Year’s resolutions, and they change to be a better person,” junior Zuri Kai MacKenzie said.
