Promise keepers: New Year’s resolutions that last

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If you are like most American adults, me included, you will be making a New Year’s resolution. However, in a few weeks, you will return to ground zero and the same habits that you were trying to change have reappeared. So, what can we do to keep a New Year’s resolution?

Here are a few suggestions that have worked for me and others who have stayed the course and shown the will power to keep their resolutions.

KISS or keep it simple. You simply cannot build Rome in a day. You cannot wish away pounds or commit to writing the book that you have dreamed about for a year in just a few days. Also, you can’t go to the gym and work out two hours every day and keep up that pace.

Sometimes people find themselves aiming for an overhaul of their entire lifestyle in one fell swoop and this will not work. It is a set for failure. The best approach is to focus clearly on one or two of your most important goals.

Selecting a resolution is best when you find one which you believe will give you the greatest happiness and enjoyment. For example, arranging to have a date night with your partner once a week, will make you happy and will also make your partner feel important and that you are placing a priority on your relationship.

Don’t select a resolution that is going to be difficult or impossible to achieve. Trying to lose twenty-five pounds in two weeks is sure to result in failure and disappointment and possibly even weight gain when you discover that is an unrealistic goal. Far better to have a long-term goal of losing forty pounds in four months and start with two pounds a week which is certainly doable.

Chunk it. Break down goals to manageable chunks. This is perhaps the most essential ingredient for success, as the more planning you do now, the more likely you are to get there in the end. Set clear, realistic goals such as saving $100 a month in order to pay off your student debt in five years instead of ten years.

Keep track to stay on track. For the best results, submit your resolution to paper\pencil\diary\computer. Record your progress daily. Your success is enhanced when you write down your incremental progress every day.

Photograph your progress. If you are planning a smoking cessation program take a picture of a pack of cigarettes or a dirty ashtray filled with filthy cigarette butts to serve as a reminder of what healthy lifestyle you are going to achieve. Place these photos as a reminder on your mobile phone as a screen saver. Now every time you touch your cell phone you will receive a gentle reminder of your resolution.

Reward yourself. Set milestones and when each one is reached celebrate your success. For example, at each ten-pound weight loss, consider treating yourself to a new shirt, tie, or, best yet, a smaller pair of pants.

Share your commitment with close family and friends. Let these special people know of your resolution so that you are on record for achieving success. It is at such times, when you’ve fallen off the wagon, that your support network is crucial. Let these allies know of ways they can help when the going gets tough, and if they’re truly caring they’ll know the right things to say during the hard times.

Winston Churchill told students at Harrow School on 29th of October 1941: “Never give in, never give up. Never! Never! Never!” Temporary failure is almost inevitable at some point, and you must not let this become an excuse to give up. When it happens, you will need to draw on your reserves of willpower. Psychologically reward yourself for your small successes and be proud of your past achievements and don’t become too critical of yourself. People with higher self-esteem and confidence are in a much better position to succeed, so immediately forgive yourself and say, “I’m starting again now!”

Bottom Line: There’s nothing as sweet as success and keeping a New Year’s resolution. We all can do it. Stick with it and you will have a great achievement that will be useful in your next attempt at changing something in your life and even in your business. Just think of what it will do to your self-esteem if you could pull it off!

Examples of medical resolutions:

• I will write a blog for my website every two weeks
• I will create a YouTube video once a month
• I will go over the account receivables for my practice once a month
• I will reach out to potential referrals to my practice once a month
• I will connect with the local media every six months about new events and technologies that are appearing in my practice
• I will implement a prior authorization program using AI to improve the efficiency of my practice.
• I will hold a monthly staff meeting which includes circulating an agenda prior to the meeting.

Neil Baum, MD, a Professor of Clinical Urology at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. Dr. Baum is the author of several books, including the best-selling book, Marketing Your Medical Practice-Ethically, Effectively, and Economically, which has sold over 225,000 copies and has been translated into Spanish.