How to write a foolproof New Year Resolution
I love a New Year Resolution.
I feel about them the way some people feel about hardcover books. They are heavy and sacred, the same way an old dusty Wuthering Heights novel might feel.
Resolutions, for me, are something to noodle over and over in my mind. There are so many directions you can take them from running a marathon to using floss.* Whatever you choose, making a resolution is inherently hopeful and optimistic. You are shouting an ambition out into the world and hoping this dream turns into a reality. You are saying what you want to be and, hopefully, become it.
Unfortunately, I have a pretty solid track record of resolution failure. Mostly, this is wildly abandoning these goals after about 2 weeks and then having a few moments throughout the year where I look back, feel a tinge of guilt, and then accept that January Annie was fully delusional. Better luck next year, babe.
Failure had become my routine. It was so common, in fact, I started to give up on the whole concept. Maybe growth has an expiration date? I considered.
But when I really looked closely, the problem was pretty clear: I was making resolutions that were not SMART.
Yes, I cringe as I type this, but despite having the SMART philosophy burned into my brain via corporate strategies for decades… I failed to apply this to my own personal goal setting.
My goals were not bad, but they were never Specific. They were kind of Measurable. They may have been Actionable, if I had planned, but they certainly weren’t always Realistic or Timely. Basically, they were wishes. They were ideas that sounded fun or interesting but had no real backbone or planning to support execution.
Bummer, because running that marathon would have been such a brag.
Anyway, I finally came to my senses a few years ago and, since then, resolutions have kind of been my thing. Here’s what I like to do:
I still start with a lofty idea; something big concept and applicable in different areas of my life. For a few years it has been Mind your own business (a truly underappreciated behavior). I use this concept as a little mantra I can repeat throughout the year and in moments where I need a reminder of my commitment. But, despite being catchy and relevant, it’s not sticky enough just yet.
I accompany my mantra with three to five very specific actions. I’m going to do X. I’m not going to do Y. I try to be scenario specific – really get into the moments that I know I need to have a framework setup for in advance so that when I’m there, I know exactly what I need to do. Thinking through these moments also gives me the opportunity for a little reality check. I can ask myself: does this matter? will I feel an impact? if so, what does that look and feel like?
Just like the heaviness of that hardback book, I need a resolution to feel tangible—to have weight and structure.
Personal growth, like anything else, is best done with a clarity and a plan. SMART goals is one way to do this and, for me, it’s one that works.
I’m still thinking through the fine print of my 2026 resolution. I don’t know exactly what it will be, but I know I will be apply this framework to make it happen. And if you need a little boost to help your resolutions become reality, I encourage you to also give this approach a try.
Here’s to a year of big and wild experiences — whatever they may be!
*RIP (and lol) to the memory of both these resolutions