It is said that eight out of ten people fail to complete their New Year’s Resolutions.  Since most of those 80 percenters quit by Valentine’s Day, you are probably already struggling.  I certainly am.

We jumped into 2020 with so many hopes and dreams.  After all, not only is it a new year, we are also out of the teens and into the 20’s.  We will finally conquer the plans we have started and restarted in the past.

…Lose Weight.  Get out of Debt.  Finally organize the house.  Spend more time with friends.  Take more time for yourself.  Find a new job.  Spend more downtime with family.  Read more books.  Keep a journal…

Whatever your resolution is, if you are already struggling, this checklist will help you narrow your focus and give you a better chance at crossing the finish line into 2021.

O  Shorten your list to your top 3 MUST DO’s.

You can list 100 things you plan on changing in your life, but change is a struggle.  If your brain is trying to reroute in 100 different directions you are bound to shut down.  Take a look at your list and decide which goals will make the biggest impact in your life when you achieve them this year.

O  Write your 3 MUST DO’s down.

If you looked at the first item in this checklist and didn’t actually write anything down, take out a piece of paper and write your 3 MUST DO’s down.  Don’t type it.  Don’t stick it in the notes section of your iPhone.  Go old school with a pen and paper and write it down.  A connection is made in your brain through the act of writing.  Typing does not have the same effect.  Now that you have written your top 3 down, hang it somewhere (refrigerator, bathroom mirror, anywhere) you will look at it daily. Afraid of the ugly factor? Go ahead and frame it. Just make it visible.

O  Make a to-do list.

For all 3 of your MUST DO’s, put together a list of what you need to complete in order to achieve them.  Do you want out of your miserable job with the abysmal boss?  You will need to update your resume, have a friend check it for typos, call recruiters, join LinkedIn, print a list of common questions asked in interviews and think of genuine answers.  Do you want to lose weight?  You may want to weigh yourself, measure yourself, find a nutrition program which is sustainable long term, research menus at your favorite restaurants for healthy options and join a gym/mommy walking group/pool or buy a home workout program.  Whatever your goal is, you can list at least 10 things you need to do in order to achieve them.

O Enter your to-do’s into your calendar.

Once you have figured out the steps it will take to achieve your 3 MUST DO’s, create deadlines for yourself.  Trying to get out of debt?  You know when payday is.  Make a calendar entry at 8 am to send an extra $50 to Visa so you don’t brainlessly spend that $50 on lattes.  Are you committing to working out for 30 minutes, 4 days a week at 9 pm after the kiddos go to bed?  Enter those into your calendar.  Need to schedule meal prep time?  Block out 3 hours every Sunday for cooking.  Trying to declutter?  Schedule 30 minutes on Monday mornings before you would normally wake up to tackle one small (such as your underwear drawer) area. Whatever you choose to schedule, make these times non-negotiable.  

O Understand WHY you must do your 3 MUST DO’s.

You have probably heard this before, but you need to know why you want to achieve your resolutions.  Pull out your pen and paper again (remember, there is a brain connection made by physically writing with a pen and paper) and write down every single reason why you want and deserve to achieve these three resolutions.  When you are struggling and want to give up, pull this list out.  Remind yourself why you are waking up early instead of hitting snooze, reading instead of watching Grace & Frankie, and cooking instead of ordering take-out.

Still struggling?  You are not alone.  I struggled big time last year and blogged about it in How do you prioritize yourself over your kids? Just remember, if you only move forward an inch, you are still moving forward towards your goals.  

This is the year you will be in the twenty percent who achieve their New Year’s resolutions.  You are worth it and you have the strength for change. 

Care to share your 3 MUST DO’s?  Post them in the comments below.