On January 1st, millions of people make resolutions to be better than they were last year. According to studies, however, only 8% successfully achieve their New Year’s resolution. Whether you’re trying to spend less money, eat more vegetables, or go to the gym more often, there are certain strategies that help you to stay on track and not lose sight of the future that you want to create.

1. Write down your New Year's resolution

According to a study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University of California, people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them than those who don’t. Write down your New Year’s resolution on a piece of paper and tape it to a wall where you can see it every day. If you keep a journal, write about your resolution and why you are trying to improve this particular part of yourself. When you lose inspiration, go back to the journal entry and remind yourself of why you started in the first place.

2. Make SMART goals

SMART goals are goals that are: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. First, make sure that your goal is specific. It’s great to say that your resolution is to “live life to the fullest” in the next year, but how are you specifically going to do that? Will you travel more? If so, how will you measure that? Will you travel once a year or twice, and for how long? Do you think that this is realistic and achievable given your particular lifestyle, work-hours, etc..? Lastly, set yourself a particular time or date to finish these goals. Deadlines tend to be the best motivation.

3. Tell people about your resolution

According to the aforementioned study at the Dominican University of California, people who tell others about their goals are more likely to achieve them. Try to find a resolution buddy – someone who is also trying to follow a New Year’s resolution (can be the same as yours or different) – to hold you accountable. If you can’t find someone, make sure to tell the people closest to you, like friends and family, about what you plan to do in the new year. Post it on social media if you feel comfortable with doing so. By doing this, people will often come up to you and ask about how your resolution is going, motivating you to continue your pursuits to avoid the embarrassment of admitting failure to your friends and family.

4. Track your progress

If you’re trying to lose weight or get in better shape, it’s important to weigh yourself and to take progress pictures. When achieving long-term goals, it can often feel like you’re not improving because minuscule changes are occurring over a long period of time, which can lead to discouragement. By tracking progress, you get to see the bigger picture. If your resolution doesn’t involve losing weight, there are certainly other ways to track progress. Journals are a great way to track progress if your resolution is emotion-based like promising to be happier or to fall in love. If journaling isn’t your forte, look into downloading a habit tracking app such as Today.

Lastly, if you do give up on your New Year's resolution, don't beat yourself up. You made it through the past year, and you'll make it through this one too, even if you don't lose those few pounds.

Best wishes to everyone in the New Year! May this be a year of peace, laughter, and happiness for everyone!