New Years Resolution Statistics
It is the beginning of a new year, which means we are all setting the wonderful goals we call New Year's resolutions. If you have experience with New Year's resolutions, or if you have already made one for yourself this year, you may be wondering how yours New Year's resolution experience compares with others.
Wonder no more, because we're about to tell you stand where your New Years resolution is concerned and how to achieve that goal.
Statisticbrain.com has been producing statistics about New Year's resolutions and the findings give great insight into this tradition.
If you made a New Years resolution, you can call yourself part of the 45% of people who tend to do this every year. Just 38% of people never make New Years resolutions.
What kind of resolution did you make this year? We're willing to bet it concerns either your health, your finances or your relationships. That's because the top 10 New Years resolutions from last year almost exclusively fall within one of these subjects.
The number one resolution each and every year seems to be the same; people always resolve to lose weight. Quitting smoking and working out more also hit the top 10.
Other common resolutions involve broader lifestyle goals, like learning something new, falling in love, and spending time with family.
Another big resolution which appears every year is to save more money and exercise greater control over finances.
If you didn't succeed in the last resolution you made, don't feel bad. Only 8% of people do. 8 percent.
The likelihood of you achieving your new years resolution are even lower if you're older. 39% of people in their twenties achieve their resolution, whereas with those over fifty, the number drops to 14%.
How long do you think you will maintain your current resolution? A month? The whole year? Stay strong because 25% of resolutions are dropped after the first week, and over 50% are dropped after the first 6 months.
If this all sounds very pessimistic, don't worry. You don't have to be a statistic. You have the power and the control to put your resolutions among the 8% that get fulfilled. Just the fact that you made a resolution is a step in the right direction.
Your odds are getting even better as you read on, because we have some very helpful bits of advice to help you move towards becoming your ideal you.
Tell Someone
If you have a New Years resolution, don't just keep it to yourself. Tell people. Tell people you care about, people whose opinion matters to you. Not only will you get much needed encouragement from these people, you will also be more internally motivated to succeed because you will have the added motivation to not want to fail in the eyes of your peers.
Make it Quantifiable
Don't just say you want to lose weight or improve your finances. State exactly how much weight you want to lose, or how much money you want to save. Goals with vague conditions for success are meaningless, and will either have the result of being too daunting or insufficient to get you to where you want to be. A goal will seem much more achievable if it is stated specifically. It will also help you track your progress, providing further encouragement.
Make a Plan
If you set out how you are going to get from A to B, the goal you have set out will feel much more within your reach. Losing 50 lbs sounds incredibly hard, until you figure out where to start and what happens next. If you break your goal down into pieces and start achieving it in small increments, it will all become much easier. Remember, you have a year to do this. You don't have to do it all tomorrow.
Be Realistic
A major reason people do not succeed in their resolutions is because they set themselves up to fail. They make resolutions which are too drastic, too tough to achieve, and then when they aren't making the progress they desire, they throw up their hands and give up all together. Don't let this be you. Carefully decide what your win condition is going to be. Take time to figure out something that falls nicely between being challenging and being impossible.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
