Living Life by Design

If you’ve ever tried to set New Year’s resolutions or goals, chances are you didn’t stick with it past February, much less the whole year. If you’re like me, you’d enthusiastically and optimistically commit to one or more lofty goals, only to feel like a failure when December 31st rolled around.

Rather than give up on this perennial brand of self-improvement, I decided to change my approach: I stopped making year-long commitments and began making monthly “Targeted Micro-Resolutions” instead.

A targeted micro-resolution is any behavior you commit to for one to two weeks. And even longer-term goals can be broken down into more achievable goals on the way. Before you can land on Mars, focus on getting airborne first.

It’s much easier to stay focused on — and dedicated to — a shorter goal, and one to two weeks is long enough to have some success and lay a foundation for a new, successful habit. I’ve used a targeted micro-resolution strategy for years, and I’m more satisfied with the results than any previous year-long, over complicated attempts.

To create your targeted micro-resolutions, you can start by thinking of the accomplishments you fell short of in 2019. What goals did you set and fail to reach? If you didn’t set any goals in 2019, simply ask yourself what you’d like to accomplish in 2020. Be completely honest. Do you want to increase your income? Live a healthier lifestyle? Lose weight? Start a blog? Make a list and then tackle them individually by setting targeted micro-resolutions that you commit to for a week or two, at the most. If after a week you have success, tackle the next item on your list. Success will build on success.

Another approach is to think about 12 habits you want to add to your life. Each month add a healthy activity with the goal of self-improvement and self-awareness. By “Adding” something you’re not sacrificing so to make the process more enjoyable.

Let’s face it, sustenance is way more pleasant than abstinence!

Make your New Year’s Micro-Resolutions more fun, creative and inclusive than year-long resolutions. You’ll be glad you did!