Did you know that New Year’s resolutions go all the way back to the Babylonians? That’s 4,000 years of “I’m going to change!”.

Most people claim they want to lose weight and get into shape. But you may have other goals, like learning a new language, quitting a bad habit, or getting ahead in their career. But whatever you decide you want to do differently in 2018, make it simple. Don’t commit to an “outcome,” like lose 25 pounds or make $100,000. Simplify it down to a “behavior.”

Commit to one behavior a day

Don’t just say you’re going to lose weight. That’s too ambiguous. Narrow it down to a specific action – “I’m going to cut sugar out of my diet.” By breaking it down to a behavior, you can focus on changing that one action every day. “All I have to do today is not eat sugar.”

Keep track of your success

If you keep at this behavior every day, you will get results. And nothing is more motivating than seeing actual progress resulting from your actions. If you’re quitting smoking, mark every day on a wall calendar that you are smoke-free. If you’re training for an athletic event, write down your progress on a poster board in front of where you work out.

Reward yourself and forgive yourself

Create milestones in your goal – number of pounds lost, number of skills gained, etc. Once you reach these milestones, reward yourself with a treat or a pleasant activity. Give yourself the credit you deserve. On the flip side, nobody’s perfect, so you might slip up from time to time. But don’t turn a temporary failure into an excuse to give up. Acknowledge it happened and then get back to your routine.

Remember – big changes come in small increments. Just be persistent and you’ll eventually achieve your goals. Your friends at Stepping Stone want you to succeed and we’ll root for you every step of the way, no matter what resolutions you’re reaching for this year. Good luck!