New Year, new me? Eating healthier, better grades, more sleep, spending less money, traveling, and exercising are just a few of the most common resolutions that are made every single year by millions of people around the world. According to Forbes, an American business magazine, approximately 40% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions at the start of each year. The beginning of a new year brings new light, hope, and newfound motivation to people, which is the reason that so many people set these goals. The process of turning over our calendars to January first entails the most ideal time for a fresh start. However, are New Year’s resolutions always accomplished?

Although many individuals create New Year’s resolutions, the majority of people do not end up completing them. Time, work, and life get in the way of achieving their goals year after year. As February approaches, it seems that the majority of people have already given up on resolutions. Specifically, Business Insider claims that 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail by February. So, why is this true? Why do so many resolutions go unaccomplished so fast?

According to Tara Haelle from the New York Times, most New Year’s resolutions include improving your health or happiness. It is harder to fulfill these promises throughout the year as once promised at the initial, exciting time that they were made. Creating multiple and complex resolutions or goals for the new year is often too much to expect. Keeping resolutions simple is the best way to finally complete a New Year’s resolution in 2018. Focusing on one goal at a time is the best approach. Also, creating simple and realistic goals would surely increase an individual’s chance of finishing them, rather than setting complex goals that are just impossible to complete in a year. Setting attainable and realistic resolutions is a plausible solution to success, and setting clear goals will also make an individual more likely to succeed in reaching them. For example, setting a goal to “read more” or “workout more” is just not specific enough. Improved resolutions would be to read 30 minutes a day or go to the gym for an hour 4 days a week. It is much easier to follow through with something that is specific.

Keeping a log of resolutions can also be beneficial in order to keep up with and follow through with one’s goals. The satisfaction of crossing each bullet out or checking off each box as the tasks are completed often is something that motivates many people. Keeping a checklist of some sort motivates people to complete their resolutions because they can physically see the goals in front of them.

Creating simple goals, setting clear resolutions, and keeping an organized checklist are several of the tactics I use to accomplish my resolutions. Specifically, my goal to work out 4-5 times a week was simple, clear, and specific. I have been keeping a record in the “Notes” application on my phone of each workout I complete in order to keep track of how I am doing and to motivate myself to add to the list. I think that my list has helped me to become more determined to follow through with my goals. This year, I hope to not be in that 80% group where their resolutions fail by February.

Resolutions can be a challenge to obtain, but there are clearly many solutions in how to complete one’s goals. It is important to stay organized and to not over complicate things. Not only should one keep goals simple, they should limit them to realistic and attainable goals so that they are easier to accomplish and keep track of. With these tips and tricks in mind, 2018 might finally be the year that no resolution will be unchecked on my list.