It’s 2013, hopefully your New Year is off to a great start. So… how are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions? Did you make any?

I did, and this year I’m really determined to keep them. But that being said, I have to say… I think New Year’s resolutions are foolish.

Why? Almost everyone makes them, and only a few of us actually keep them for more than a few weeks. And yet year after year, our failed, past attempts don’t stop us from making them again.

Sorry if you think I’m being too negative, that’s not my intention.

Here’s the thing… making goals and promises to yourself that you know you won’t keep is a bad deal… for you. Ultimately, you need to hold yourself accountable to yourself.

So, how can you make this year different from all of the others?

First, be realistic. Instead of making a long list of all the things you want to change and improve this year, pick TWO. Sure, everyone respects your ambition to reinvent yourself, but who are you kidding!? If you try to change too many things all at once, it’s likely that you’ll lose focus with all of them.

Next, write these two goals down somewhere that you’ll see them every day. I know, you’ve heard that before. And you know why everyone says this? Because it works. You see, writing down your goals, your appointments, and your grocery list helps make these activities “real”. And when you’re staring at this two-item To-Do list day after day, you’re more likely to stay committed to actually doing them.

Finally, the hard part. Focus on doing them on a regular basis. Until these two new activities become a regular part of your “normal routine”, you’ll probably just see them as typical New Year’s resolutions. But when you accomplish these goals consistently, these new activities will eventually become habits. Over time, they’ll become a part of who you are and what you do.

Hopefully this year, you choose to make your New Year’s resolutions a permanent part of your daily life. Keep them simple, write them down, and follow through.

It’s a new year… make improvements, not excuses.