Here are the top four New Year’s resolutions. How many of these have been on your make-and-break list?

• Lose weight
• Get organized
• Spend less/save more
• Enjoy life to the fullest

I’m not big on making New Year’s resolutions because I don’t like to waste time. Statistics say that only 8% of us stick to New Year’s resolutions. Why spend time wishing for something that doesn’t happen most of the time for most people?

But these are great goals! So what can you do to make a resolution stick this year?

The trick is to focus, to know what your intent is, to make a plan, to track your results, and to celebrate your wins.

Focus
If you already have a list of resolutions for 2017, work from that. If you don’t have a list, take ten minutes tomorrow to brainstorm the big projects you’d like to get done this year. Set a timer. This doesn’t need great thought; you know what you’d like to get done.

Now prioritize your list by deciding what the #1 thing is you’d like to get done in 2017. Everything on the list is important, but what’s #1? That’s what you’re going to focus on.

Intent
Look at the #1 thing on your list. Is this something that matters most to you? Or to someone else? Or is this an expectation you think others have of you? For a resolution to stick, it needs to be something that comes from your heart. What’s on your list that has the highest value to you? Why do you want to get this done? If you aren’t 100% into this, pick a new top priority.

Plan
Look at your fresh, open calendar for the new year and decide when you would like to complete the resolution. Write that in your calendar and put a big red circle around it.

Now break out the steps of what has to happen to get you to that date. Plot the intermediate dates to the calendar. Then look at this week and decide the first step to get started. Remember that every goal starts with a first step. Even if this is a resolution you’ve attempted before, you have a fresh start this year. Every day is a fresh start!

Track
Track your progress as you go – daily or at the most, weekly. Did you meet your plan for the week? If not, what happened, and what can you do to get back on track? If you slide back, create a new plan to catch up. Remember that progress is rarely linear. Ebb and flow are as natural as the tides on the beach. You’re tracking results every day but you’re looking for results over a period of time.

Celebrate!
When you cross the line and complete the resolution, have a party. You beat that 8% statistic. Incredible!

Throughout the process, be kind to yourself. You’re trying to form a new habit and that takes time and repetition. Humor helps too. 🙂

Happy New Year from the rocky coast of Maine!