New Year’s is a wonderful chance to start fresh. To do more things that are good for you and your goals, and less things that aren’t.

Unfortunately, humans are creatures of habit, and within the first few months of the year most resolutions are abandoned.

If you’re determined to stick to your resolutions this year, then you need to read these tips on How to Choose a New Year’s Resolution You’ll Actually Keep!

How to Choose a New Year’s Resolution You’ll Actually Keep

1. Consider Your Major Goals

An excellent way to decide on a New Year’s resolution you’ll actually keep is to consider your big goals. Then consider what you need to do to achieve one of those huge goals and isolate a small part that you can do in one year. For example, maybe your dream is to have your own store. Perhaps this year you could work on starting your business as an online-only business. That would be easier than having to set up a physical store. Or you could go simpler, and resolve to spend this year just getting the branding, business strategy, and legal work finished. Whatever your dream or big goal is, resolving to work toward it is a great resolution!

2. Choose 1-2 Resolutions Only

It can be tempting to create a list of many different things you resolve to do in the new year. But you need to consider how much time and energy you actually have. Instead of a dozen things you’ll never complete, pick one or two things that are really important to you. You won’t feel overwhelmed and you’ll really want to achieve your goals, so you’ll be more likely to keep your resolutions!

3. Be Realistic

New Year’s is an inspiring, motivating time where anything feels possible. This leads to people resolving to do some great big thing that isn’t actually able to be completed in one year. Yes, it’d be great if you could go from never holding a paintbrush to being the next Van Gogh in one year, but it’s not a very realistic goal. Instead, resolve to take painting classes, or to complete a certain number of paintings that year. When the New Year’s buzz has worn off, you’ll be happy to have chosen such a nicely manageable goal.

4. Decide When to Start

No one says you have to start working on your resolution on January 1st. If you want to choose a New Year’s resolution you’ll actually keep, you may want to consider picking one that doesn’t require you to start on it until later. For example, maybe your resolution to travel more often would be better started in the summer when the kids are out of school. If you resolve to start in January, you’ll become disappointed at your lack of travel and give up by summertime.

5. Pick Something with Checkpoints

A New Year’s resolution you’ll actually keep is one that you can measure in some concrete way. So rather than phrasing your resolution “get better at cooking,” say that you’ll “learn how to cook 10 dishes from that fancy French cookbook.” This way you’ll actually be able to say when you’ve succeeded with your resolution. Checkpoints are also handy because they give you chances to reward yourself. After each checkpoint reached, give yourself some sort of nice reward, like a new book or a trip to the movies. That will help keep you motivated to continue!

Do you usually keep your New Year’s resolutions?