The Statistics of New Year’s Resolutions

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions this year?

How are they going?  Have you broken any yet?

At .id, we are into the characteristics of populations, (and statistics in general) so we decided to take a look at the most popular resolutions….and what chances you have of actually achieving them….

Actually, they make a pretty good basis for your 2014 goals – personal and business…

According to a study run by the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA, the top 10 New Year’s resolutions are:
1. Lose Weight
2. Get Organized
3. Spend Less, Save More
4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest
5. Stay Fit and Healthy
6. Learn Something Exciting
7. Quit Smoking
8. Help Others in Achieving Their Dreams
9. Fall in Love
10. Spend More Time with Family

They all sound good!

But they all take time, and some effort to achieve.  These factors, among others, unfortunately contribute to most resolutions never leading to the desired result.

While about 45% of people do actually make a resolution, the odds are much less that you’ll achieve them – in fact only about 8% do.

Of course, the chances of success also depend on the type of resolution – and how “ambitious” it is.

So how do you improve your chances of success?

1. Be specific
Explicit resolutions, like business goals, are 10 times more likely to lead to success than vague “wishes”.

For example – “My resolution is that I am going to lose 10 kilos by June 30, 2014”, is a lot better than “My resolution is that I want to lose weight.”

For this reason, SMART Goals are ideal. What are SMART Goals?

• Specific – target a specific area for improvement. (e.g. lose weight)
• Measurable – quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress.  (e.g. 10 kilos)
• Assignable – specify who will do it. (in the case of new year’s resolutions, this is YOU)
• Realistic – state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources. (is 10 kilos realistic?  For some people it may not be…..but for most it is!)
• Time-related – specify when the result(s) can be achieved. (e.g. By June 30)

2. Stick with it.
While 75% of resolutions are still being followed after the first week, most have failed by 6 months.  (just 46% are still being followed beyond 6 months)

3. Expect setbacks.
You didn’t learn to walk, or ride a bike, without falling over.  So achieving anything of importance is often the same.  You need to be persistent, resilient, and keep your eye on the goal.

Can you beat the 8% success rate?
Yes! Make 2014 a year of achievement – set some SMART goals and beat the odds.