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As the new year approaches, many find themselves setting resolutions for the upcoming year. These resolutions often involve making positive changes to their lives, such as eating healthier, exercising more, or quitting a bad habit. From a business standpoint, the beginning of a new year is also a good time to reflect on your business resolution from the previous year, make assessments and plan activities that will build your business to be more profitable and achieve growth.
However, despite their good intentions, resolutions can often be challenging to stick to, and it's common for us to abandon our resolutions within a few weeks or even days of making them.
Recognise your Barriers
There are several reasons why resolutions can be difficult to stick to. One of the main reasons is that they often involve making significant changes to our daily routines, which can be challenging to implement and maintain. For example, if your resolution is to start exercising every day, you may need help to fit this new habit into your already busy schedule. Or, if your resolution is to quit smoking, you may struggle with the withdrawal symptoms and cravings that come with it. If you are running a business, and your resolution is to get up to speed on your marketing or use technology to automate your business but are still not upping your game, then it will always be on your stress list!
Another reason why resolutions can be hard to stick to is that they often require a lot of discipline and self-control. It can be difficult to consistently make healthy choices when faced with tempting, unhealthy options, especially if you're used to indulging in them. Similarly, staying motivated and focused on achieving optimal business operations can be challenging when you keep sticking to the same old way of doing things, thinking it will just get better! But let's face it. If it has not moved the needle in 2021 and 2022, it's time you change gears!
In addition to these practical challenges, there are also psychological reasons. For one, they often involve setting unrealistic or overly ambitious goals. If your resolution is to lose 10 kilos a month, you're likely setting yourself up for failure. This can be demoralizing and lead to frustration and disappointment, making it even harder to stick to your resolution. If you intend to post three times a week on your social media platforms but consistently struggle with design and copywriting, you are bound to keep hitting the wall.
Another psychological barrier to sticking to resolutions is that they often focus on negative behaviors or habits. If your resolution is to stop procrastinating, for example, you're focusing on what you don't want to do rather than on what you want to do. This can be demotivating and can make it harder to stay on track.
Nevertheless, there are certainly benefits to setting goals for yourself and working towards them. However, alternative approaches may be more effective in helping you make lasting positive changes in your life. So, if resolutions can be so challenging to stick to, why bother making them at all?
The answer is simple - we all need MOTIVATIONS and GOALS to thrive!
Be Realistic and Focus on Smaller Goals
In trying to achieve your resolutions, one way is to set smaller, more manageable goals for yourself. Rather than resolving to lose 10 kilos in a month, you might set a goal of losing three to five kilos gradually per month. This goal is more realistic and achievable and more likely to lead to lasting change. If you feel you can't do this alone, get help from a friend, or a health expert.
Let me give you another relatable example. As a small business owner, running your business solo is already challenging. If your resolution for this year is to ensure that your ledgers and all your accounting is accounted for (especially when it is time to submit your income tax) or that your social media marketing is up and running like clockwork, then it is best to leave them to the professionals. If you intend to do everything alone, you are bound to fail. Outsource your administration and operations, such as accounting or marketing services, to professionals. In a gist, your resolution should focus on POSITIVE actions rather than doing something you cannot cope with.
Another key success factor is to focus on building positive habits rather than breaking negative ones. Read that again. How? This approach focuses on building a positive behavior rather than trying to eliminate a negative one, which can be more motivating and sustainable. For example, rather than resolving to stop procrastinating, you might set a goal of working on a specific task for a certain amount of time every day.
Finally, rather than setting a resolution for the entire year, you might try setting goals on a monthly or quarterly basis. This allows you to reassess your progress and make adjustments as needed rather than stick to a resolution that may not work for you.
In conclusion, while resolutions can be a good way to set goals for yourself and make positive changes in your life, they can also be difficult to stick to due to the practical and psychological challenges they present. If you struggle to stick to your resolution, consider setting smaller, more manageable goals, building positive habits, or reassessing your progress regularly.
Do you still need help meeting your marketing resolutions? Speak to us, your digital marketing professionals, and let's work on fulfilling your resolutions this year! Don't wait till the end of 2023 to realise you have wasted another year of opportunity for your business to grow.