It’s no secret that more than half of the people who set New Year’s resolutions fail to stick to them by the end of January. Here’s my no-BS guide on why…
Call me cynical (which, I am) but if the minute that clock ticked midnight you found yourself saying ‘New Year, new me’, chances are, it will be ‘New Year and the same old you’.
In my experience, most people who set realistic goals for the New Year, do so in the comfort of their own thoughts. They don’t announce to the world what these goals are, they work in silence and talk about them once these goals have been achieved.
In reality, it makes sense. It’s much easier to talk about what you want to do because you’re caught up in the excitement of it. Whether your goal is to stay fit, start a new business or travel more, most people are visionaries. It’s fun to imagine what it would be like to be more fit, or to run your own company. The idea is appealing.
In reality, you don’t need to wait until the 1 January to start working on these goals. If you’re passionate enough about them (enough to not just talk the talk, but walk the walk) you will start working on them as soon as possible.
Yap less, do more
So, if you’re wondering why you can’t stick to your New Year’s resolutions, I have some news for you, and this might be a tough pill to swallow. You just don’t want it bad enough. Otherwise, why would you wait until 31 December to set them? Too busy and work has been stressing you out? Wrong! These are just the excuses.
In my experience as a journalist, having spoken to so many different people, from all corners of the world, what I found most fascinating is that those who become successful, move in silence. The big yappers are the dreamers. And there’s nothing wrong with being a dreamer as long as you’re okay with staying one.
Why You Can’t Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions – My Advice
But my personal advice to all of you is this. Start 2025 by doing more and talking less. This is my mantra for the new year, as a former and retired yapper. Don’t get caught up in the vision of your goals and the end result. Start working on them as soon as it feels right. Be realistic and remember that consistency is key in most areas of success.
Talking about consistency, be realistic about this one too. Whether it’s a business you’re setting up, or a healthy diet you’re starting – start every day by taking small steps to achieving it. We all have lives, and we all have background noise that can sometimes be distracting. So, if one day you can dedicate half a day to setting a structure for achieving your dream, and the next day you only have 10 minutes free, that’s good enough.
So my main point is this. Yap less and do more because after all, isn’t it more fun to brag about what you’ve already achieved? You can do it!