It’s that time again; as we embark on putting 2016 behind us and step into 2017, people begin the resolution-making process, hoping that will lead to positive changes in their lives.

And many make resolutions that never become goals that are achieved by year’s end (most never get beyond the first month of the New Year).

If that’s the case, what’s the best way to turn a resolution into a successful goal?

The best way to get started with turning any New Year’s resolution into a goal is to write out a list of all the things you consider to be a resolution.

Once you have this in front of you, it will be easy to see if some of these resolutions all have something in common.

Could they be classified as one larger resolution? If they can, your goals would be as simple as completing each, one step at a time.

The worst thing about making resolutions is that you can end up with so many of them.

Most people have a huge bucket type list when it comes to resolutions. If this is true for you, then you want to go through your list and prioritize by importance.  Attack the most important first.

Choose Something You Really Want to Change

Your aim here is to discover the ONE thing that you TRULY want to accomplish this year. This will become your GOAL.

Identifying just one thing can be really hard and it may take a little soul-searching to find your true desire.

Once you have it identified, it will be much easier for you to stay focused on just this one thing. Plus your chances of success are greatly increased as well.

Pick one goal to focus on this year and be determined to stick with it!

Your Focus Matters

Most people realize that focus is really important. It’s clearly easier to focus on one thing at a time.

So if you do have one of those “bucket lists,” narrow it down to one choice first.

There’s no reason why you can’t get more accomplished during the course of the year. Just focus on one task at a time until it’s complete or you have it under control.

Brainstorming Sessions

A brainstorming session can help you identify the necessary steps you need to take in order to achieve your goal.

For this session, you may want to use a whiteboard, a spreadsheet or good old-fashioned pen and paper.

You’ll find it easier to work backwards for this process. You know what your end goal is. Your goal now is to discover the steps you need to attain it. So by working backwards you can plan out steps the necessary steps.

If you love online tools, then consider using a mind mapping software, there are many free ones available. Then you can easily create a mind map of where you are right now and map a path to where you want to be next month or by the end of the year. The great thing about a mind map is that you can easily add things to it as needed. Don’t forget to use it to track your progress as well.

Over to You

And there you have it—three tips to help you make your resolution a goal, increasing your chances of achieving success by year’s end.

What resolutions have you made for the new year? What do you think or feel will keep you from sticking to those resolutions? Which of those resolutions would you pick as your one goal of the year?

Let me know in the comments section below–I’d love to hear all about it!