SMART New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year! May 2021 be a good and prosperous year. As part of every new year, people worldwide resolve to one or several New Year’s resolutions.

The origins of modern New Year’s resolution practice started in various ancient traditions and religions, where people made promises to their gods. The ancient Babylonians were the first to record New Year's resolutions as part of their 12-day celebration in honour of the new year, some 4000 years ago. However, for the Babylonians the year began in mid-March, during crop planting, and not in January. Roman emperor Caesar introduced the 1st of January to the modern calendar in the year 46 B.C. The Romans made promises every year to the god Janus, after whom the month of January is named. Janus is a two-faced god, with one face looking back at the old year and one forward into the new year. Western knights in the medieval times made pledges at the end of Christmas every year to re-confirm their commitment to good and chivalry behaviour. Similar traditions have been recorded elsewhere and have since spread through globalisation and popular culture across the world.

A New Year’s Resolution can be to continue good practices, change an undesired trait or behaviour, fulfil a personal goal, or improve one’s life at the start of a new year. These are often linked to areas of a person’s health (mental or physical), in one’s education and learning, picking up hobbies, and successes in one’s professional, family or personal life. However, most people do not reach their goals set at the beginning of the new year! A report from 2014 states that 35% of participants who failed their New Year's Resolutions declared that they had set unrealistic goals, 33% did not keep track of their progress, and 23% simply forgot about the resolution altogether. About one in 10 respondents claimed they made too many resolutions and were therefore unable to complete them.

To be successful with one’s New Year’s resolution, it is important that the goals are broken down into manageable pieces and steps and are accompanied by a plan. One possible solution is to turn a resolution into a SMART goal. SMART is an acronym that stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. Setting SMART goals means clarifying ideas, focusing efforts and using time and resources productively.

Being specific means setting goals that are defined by a clear outcome, and not just a general indication or wish. Being detailed also allows for an outline of what needs to be accomplished, why it is important, who is involved, where will it happen, which resources or limits are involved.

Having measurable goals means being able to track progress and results through indicators and metrics, it allows us to know when we have accomplished the goal, hit milestones and can celebrate success as we progress. Numbers are concrete measurements that helps us gauge and map success.

Making sure that a goal is achievable is important as it allows us to progress. Creating smaller goals that are doable allows us to take smaller steps towards greater visions. Identifying constraints, such as resources, and possible solutions allows us to set more realistic goals that still stretch our abilities while reaching our goal.

The relevance of a goal is central, as we are more likely to fulfil something that is important to us, or whoever the intended beneficiary is. Motivation and passion makes us more likely so succeed in our journey. It is also important to think about timing, resources and context to make sure that a goal is aligned with needs and possibilities.

To make sure a goal is specific, measurable and achievable, it is important to having a goal that is time-bound and has a deadline. This allows us to set specific start and end dates and times, and avoids endeavours that may go on forever without an end in sight. For larger goals and goals that require more time, shorter deadlines can help us to split the goal into milestones and help us on the way.

Many SMART planners also tend to add an extra R onto the end, making their goals SMARTR. The extra R stands for ‘Reward’ and is an integral part of the cycle of SMART goals. Recognising and celebrating success builds confidence and keeps us motivated to continue working towards our broader visions in the future.

Happy New Year, and good luck with your SMART New Year’s resolutions!