It’s that time of year again. When the calendar flips to January, hopeful individuals and small businesses resolve to change their ways—to be more successful, happier, or just better in general. Yes, it’s time for our annual New Year’s resolutions. But why do we make them? And do they really work?

According to a recent Marist Poll, more than four in ten Americans expect to make a resolution in 2015. Yet, of those who made a promise going into 2014, only 59% kept their word for at least part of the year—down from 72% the previous year.

What’s more, there’s a pretty steep drop in how long our New Year’s resolutions stick around. In fact, another study on New Year’s resolutions by the folks at the University of Scranton suggests that 77% made it through a full week, while 55% made it a month. But by June, only 40% of those polled were keeping to their resolution! That’s just the facts: more than 60% of New Year’s resolutions fail.

What good are New Year’s resolutions when they never stick?

When we set unrealistic goals or just wish for our resolutions to come true, we set ourselves up for failure. Most resolutions fail because we made too many, we didn’t work to achieve them, we procrastinate, or we quit before the finish line. But when executed properly, resolutions are a great way to start the New Year fresh.

With that being said, we’ve created a list of some actionable steps that you can take to make resolutions that stick:

1. Be Realistic

   Small successes, not big failures—that should be your motto when planning your resolutions. Be ambitious, but not overly so. You should choose a few small goals that you can plan for and attain—challenges that will push you out of your comfort zone, but aren’t impossible.

2. Be Positive

   While you should always try to improve on areas of weakness, don’t get overly hung up on self-improvement. Take the time to write out an action plan that will help you achieve more in the New Year by focusing on your strengths as well. For example, if you were the leading sales agent in a certain neighborhood during 2014, make a plan to use those same strengths in the adjacent neighborhood in 2015.

3. Write Them Down, and Commit Publicly

   This can seem a little scary, particularly if you’re not ready to be held accountable for your results—yet writing down your resolutions and sharing them publicly (especially with employees, business partners, or loved ones) will help you commit to achieving your goals.

4. Make a Plan, and Set Milestones

   Accomplishing any goal, whether personal or professional, requires a plan. All goals should be measurable and should have a timetable associated with them. Think about your tactics, and determine what actions you need to take to accomplish the goals you’ve laid out for yourself. Write them down. To feel inspired and motivated, attach milestones to your action plan. This will allow you to work toward short-term targets rather than a finish line that may be quite far away. You’ll feel success in these small improvements!

5. Don’t Beat Yourself Up

   Remember: perfection is unattainable. Minor missteps are perfectly normal and acceptable when reaching your goals. What matters most is how you respond to those missteps—whether you give up or keep going. If you stumble or fall off your action plan, jump back on track, and keep pushing ahead!

ReminderMedia Helps Businesses With Their Marketing Resolutions

If your New Year’s resolutions involve boosting your content marketing, reaching out to your clients more effectively, or growing your business—our team at ReminderMedia can help.

We publish American Lifestyle magazine, a beautiful, full color publication that you can customize to communicate the value your top clients and key influencers represent to your business. We keep you on track by custom branding your magazine, reminding you of important deadlines, and distributing the magazine for your convenience.

We even provide a robust platform of shareable media to ensure your online content marketing strategy is just as engaging and informative as your print strategy. We’ve got all of your client and prospect communications covered.

To learn more, feel free to tour the magazine, or contact one of our sales professionals. In the meantime, be sure to browse our site for more information and request a sample at your leisure. We’re standing by to help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions and more! Connect today.