Written by: Eric Handler

2 Ways To Make It Stick

Accountability Check – Your New Year’s Resolution

Accountability is essential in achieving any goal. So, if you’ve just started working on your resolution, consider this an accountability check from a friend who wants you to succeed.

Scranton University psychology professor John Norcross, author of Changeology: 5 steps to Realizing your Goals and Resolutions, last year predicted that 50% would break one, if not all of their resolutions by mid January.

But that’s no reason to get discouraged. Seventy percent of successful goal-setters said that their first slip actually strengthened their resolutions. As long as you learn from your mistakes and keep going you will get there.

Here are some 2 tips from Norcross to keep your New Year’s goals. And remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!

1) Track your progress.  Get a calendar, or a calendar app to track your progress. It’s encouraging when you can see a tangible record of progress.

2) Go public. Announce your goals to your family and friends. Being held accountable by those closest to you can help you stay motivated. 

Chances are you may slip up once or twice during this process.  Welcome to normal…it’s OK.  Norcross says it is important to deal with failures by getting back on track and continuing along your journey.

Additional Resource – A 5 minute video about how people respond to making a New Year’s resolution http://bit.ly/1rkabN5