Resolutions? Goals?

Resolution: a firm decision to do or not to do something

Goal: the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result

So, what’s the difference? Is there one? The answer is yes, there is a difference. The answer lies in the definitions above. A resolution is the decision to do or not do something. I resolve to lose 20 lb. this year. A goal is the end result of a person’s effort. I plan to lose 20 lbs. this year and I will reach this by exercising more and watching what I eat.

Do you see the difference, now? You should.

“A New Year's resolution is a tradition, most common in the Western World but also found in the Eastern World, in which a person resolves to continue good practices, change an undesired trait or behavior, accomplish a personal goal, or otherwise improve their life at the start of a new year.” — Wikipedia Some of the most common resolutions are to lose weight, exercise more, save more money/spend less, learn a new hobby or skill and get organized. However, most people don’t succeed in fulfilling their resolutions. Why?

“Reasons for failure

·       In one 2014 study, 35% of participants who failed their New Year’s Resolutions said they had unrealistic goals.

·       33% of participants who failed didn’t keep track of their progress.

·       23% forgot about their resolutions.

·       About one in 10 people who failed said they made too many resolutions.” — Discover Happy Habits

Now what if we changed the word to goals, so we say, “New Year’s Goals,” would this change the lack of fulfillment?

“A Harvard Business study revealed amazing statistics relating to goal setting and success. The study went on to find that the 14% who have goals are 10 times more successful than those without goals. The 3% with written goals are 3 times more successful than 14% with unwritten goals.

·        83% of the population does not have goals

·       14% have a plan in mind but are unwritten goals

·       3% have goals written down

So if you are an entrepreneur or even a student, you have a greenfield to outperform your competition by setting goals for your organization or for yourself.” — Retail Ritesh

A 2016 study said that of 41% who set resolutions only 9% feel successful. Remember from above that 23% forgot about them (Discover Happy Habits). Setting a goal automatically implies that a plan must be set up to achieve that goal. Success lies in the plan and putting it into action. If we return to my weight loss goal, I said to exercise more and make healthier eating choices. So, there’s your plan. To put into action, you might start with adding 1 more day of exercise a week. For the eating, you might swap out Macdonald’s for Subway‘s (neither is great, but Subway’s is healthier). Then down the road, you might add another day of exercise and swap out Subways for a salad. See setting a goal requires you to break it down into doable steps. Keep in mind that like resolutions you can make unrealistic goals. You can set a goal or resolution of saving more money and say you will save $100 per week. With the goal, you are more likely to analyze your finances and then realize that your living expenses don’t support this.

So, in my expert opinion, we should set new year’s goals. I do this and have for many years. I believe this word change will mean that more people accomplish what they set out to do and wrote down at the beginning of the year (if you read this whole article, you would have noted that writing them down puts you in better steed to achieve your goals). So, let’s get goal setting for 2022.