We are in the last week of the first month of 2016 and I am sure many of us out there would have made some New Year resolutions. The common resolutions made are – “Lose Weight and Get Fit”, “Quit Smoking”, “Learn Something New”, “Eat Healthier and Diet”, “Get out of Debt and Save Money”, “Spend More Time with Family”, “Travel to New Places”, “Be Less Stressed”, “Volunteer”, “Drink Less.  The question is are we still at it?

The above desires to want to change something about yourself happens year after year. People’s intentions are good but seldom do they end up fulfilling the resolution that they take up. A recent article by Forbes magazine said that only 8% of the people actually achieve their New Year’s goals. 

Why is it so hard to keep your New Year’s goals? Why do so many people fail at goal setting? And what is it about those few who manage to get it right and achieve their goals? 

There are many answers to the why’s and how’s. New Year goal setting is just seen as an opportunity to dish out our large bucket lists of all that we wanted to achieve through the year and could not.  It’s an attempt to tell yourself that this year will be definitely better than the last.

This enthusiasm continues in the first week of the New Year. Then gradually asdays pass, months cross and finally quarter of the year end, the interest in goals set weans away. Human Mind always finds excuses to not keep up to the goals set or lose interest mid-way or blame others for not being able to achieve something. Looking inward at one’s own short coming seldom happens.

Here are 6 ways to stay on track with your goals once the New Year “feeling” starts fading off.

1. Create a Q&A: If you have decided to resolve a habit prepare some questions that you can ask yourself at timely intervals this really helps you to boost your enthusiasm and keep a check on your progress. Analyze your life. Is there anything you would change or improve? All answers start with questions, so be ready to create your list. Ask who, what and how: Who do I want to become? What can I improve? How can I change? Give yourself plenty of time — anywhere from a few hours to several days. 

2. Devil’s in the Details: Now as you have your list ready, it’s time to check and analyze your report so that you stick to your routine and check the progress. This will help you to carry out your resolution by the end of Year. For Example: “if you resolve to lose 10 KG by the end of this month, always keep a record and check at the end of every month how much you have achieved, this detailed data will help you to reach your goal. This works as your Roadmap”.

3. Gaze into the Future: Now you have your New Year’s roadmap in hand, it’s time to create some emotional attachment with your goals. This really makes your journey enjoyable because it links you to your imagination (Mind Game). You have to visualize that how you are feeling after achieving your goals. For Example: If a girl’s goal is to lose 10 KG she should start visualizing herself in one size smaller this in turn will motivate her to achieve her goal. The more senses you engage, the better. This is your future self — get excited!

4. Eating Elephants: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. We always have to break our goals into small proportion to achieve, this really helps us to accomplish our Targets on time. For Example: if you have to run 10 Km – your mind start thinking it’s a huge distance, which you have to cover and you lose your motivation. But if you break this into milestone that you have to complete 1 KM 10 times – it will become very easy to achieve your TARGET.

5. Rewards: Human Nature always needs bribes or rewards. So it’s the best way to give yourself a reward after achieving milestones of your ‘Main GOAL’. This further motivates you to achieve your goal. For example: If you are planning to run 10 KM and you have already broken your target 1 KM in 10 times, start rewarding yourself after every 1 KM –by walking 100 meters this will give you some rest and your body will be energized to run another 1 KM.

6. Socializing: It’s a human behavior when you commit something in front of someone you always behind to achieve that goals. So it’s better to publish your resolution in social media and tell about it to your friends, also update your result in a timely manner, this will help you to stick with your routine and achieve your goals.

So what do you intend to resolve in 2016? Follow the above methods to achieve your GOALs.