It’s that time of year again. New Year’s resolution time. So many of us start January with such good intentions to make the changes we want to see in our lives. There’s a good chance, you’ve made the same New Year’s resolution before – to lose weight, to eat healthier, to make or save more money, read more. According to U.S. News, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. But IT is possible to make lasting change.

A major problem with New Year’s resolutions are they are vague with no clear plan of how to succeed. Exactly how do you plan on losing weight? What does saving more money look like? What will you do to read more?

To be successful at our New Year’s resolution, it has to be a SMART goal.

S (Specific):

Be SPECIFIC about what you actually want to accomplish.

M (Measurable):

Create a concrete way to MEASURE and track progress.

A (Attainable):

While your goal should be a challenge, it should also be realistically ATTAINABLE.

R (Relevant):

Define a goal that is RELEVANT to your life and your overall life goals.

T (Time Sensitive):

Set a TIME-SENSITIVE deadline so you are motivated by a sense of urgency and completion.

Here’s an example from taking a general New Year’s resolution likely to fail to a successful SMART goal.

Vague: I’m going to lose weight.

Okay: I’m going to lose 10 pounds.

Better: I’m going to lose 10 pounds by June through exercise.

SMART: I’m going to lose 10 pounds by June through running for 30 minutes on Monday’s, Wednesdays, and Fridays directly after work.

This SMART goal is an attainable, relevant and specific goal that I can measure and monitor over the next 6 months. As I get closer to reaching the goal, motivation and commitment will increase.

I believe everyone has the ability to make lasting change. However, for some, there may be other reasons making it more difficult to adhere to a goal. Talking to a therapist can help identify these obstacles as well as define solutions that are right for you.

So now it’s your turn. What’s your New Year’s SMART goal?