Every December, people’s thoughts begin to turn to that of Christmas, celebrations, parties and of course, what the New Year may have in store. I have a little theory as to why it is so important for us to make those New Years Resolutions, and if I’m right, it’s also the reason why our resolutions often fail.

In December, there are parties being held at work, for the organizations with which you are affiliated, at the homes of your family and friends, and in various other locations. As we attend each party, we overindulge in things like drinking, merriment, spending, and eating. When the end of the month rolls around, the festivities begin to wrap up and we’re faced with the one last hoorah for the year as we attend our New Year’s Eve party.

As the talk begins of what your resolution may be, you start to think of all the things that you’ve done over the past month. Your pants might be fitting a little too tight now, or you may be thinking of the organization that is needed in your home as you try to figure out a new place to put all the wonderful gifts you’ve received. In that wave of desperation, a New Year’s Resolution is formed and uttered from your lips in front of your family and friends.

As January is brought in with gusto, we awake to a new day, a new year, and a new resolution. Every resolution begins with the same passion year after year; and unfortunately, year after year by the time February rolls around, that passion is replaced with apathy.

Let’s start by looking at what makes a good resolution. New Year’s Resolutions should be S.M.A.R.T goals. They should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. If you try to establish a goal that results in a gradual change, you will be much more likely to succeed than if you try to position yourself within a goal that requires a drastic change. For example, resolving to eat healthier by cutting out your nightly bag of chips would hold a higher rate of success than resolving to eat nothing but health food from now on.

Think about why you want to change. Is the clutter and disorganization of your home causing problems for you with your job or keeping your family on track with their obligations? Do you want to lose weight because you have a school reunion coming up and you’d like to knock the socks off your former school mates? Do you want to start an exercise program because at this moment the excess eating over the holidays is causing you to feel bloated? When you choose to change for yourself, you will have a much easier time staying motivated than you will if you want to change for someone else.

Here are the top 10 tips to making a S.M.A.R.T Resolution and keeping yourself motivated to follow through.

1. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Keep your goal a manageable one.
2. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results within a week.
3. Write your goals down. Anytime you write something down, it makes it a more permanent goal.
4. Team up with someone. Finding someone who has the same goal as you is a great way to stay motivated.
5. Plan, plan, plan. Don’t just decide to get organized. Figure out HOW you are going to do it.
6. Know that is okay to change directions. If things are getting tough, it’s perfected alright to change direction and attack that goal from a new angle.
7. Keep it short and simple. Some psychologists suggest that we can only deal with 7 pieces of information at one time with any efficiency. Don’t overload yourself with a list the length of your arm of things you must do in order to succeed.
8. Consider things that may go wrong, and come up with a contingency plan before things go awry.
9. Track your progress. Create a chart or even a journal where you can keep track of all the milestones that you have reached.
10. Most of all you need to ensure that you have a strong commitment to make the change that you propose.