New Year’s Resolutions: One of the most popular things to do when a year reaches its conclusion is to create a list of resolutions or “goals” for the upcoming year. If you have made resolutions in the past, you are probably well aware that most resolutions last only a few days into the new year.

Why?

Psychologists may have a more fancy sounding explanation, but I believe resolutions fail because they lack a backing of passion. If you make a resolution or set a goal because you feel you “should” do something in the new year, but your goal is not filled with passion, your energies would be better spent on determining what you “really and truly” want to accomplish.

If you have enough passion or “why” behind a goal, you will move heaven and earth to make your goal a reality. It is passion that drives us, not a list of “nice to haves” or “boy, I’d really like to do this.” Without passion, your list of resolutions will probably be nothing more than a list of items written down and soon forgotten.

My New Year’s Eve Suggestion

Take 1 hour (longer if needed) and spend time alone thinking about what you’ve accomplished in the waning year and what you would like to accomplish in the coming year. Decide on no more than 2 or 3 “goals” that you deeply feel that, once accomplished would have a very positive impact on the quality of your life.

Once you have your list, write out in detail “why” you want to accomplish every goal on your list. Write out, in detail, how your life will improve by accomplishing these goals and what you will miss out on by not accomplishing these goals. Get to an emotional point where you feel that not achieving your goals would be way too painful to even consider not giving your all. Develop so much passion that you can’t wait to get started on moving towards your goals.

Understand that your passion may weaken over time and that you will needed to consistently “add more fuel” to the fire. Do this by scheduling time each week to review your goals and why you must accomplish them. Remind yourself of how your life will be improved once they are accomplished and what you will miss out on if you fail to meet your goals.

Once you have your list and have built passion behind them, go out and enjoy your New Year’s Eve celebration. Do so safely and responsibly for mistakes made during celebrations can quickly destroy any progress made.