Don't resolve, just do.

Around this time of year, people are making resolutions for the new year. They resolve to get out of debt. They resolve to quit smoking. They resolve to get in shape. What do all of these people have in common? Simple - they're likely setting themselves up for failure.

There are two problems with new year's resolutions. First off, the special significance ascribed to the new year is unnecessary. If you are continually waiting for some big event, some turn of the clock, or some magical marker to begin your improvement plan, you're setting yourself up for failure. By making a big deal out of the goal you are trying to accomplish, you are doing exactly the opposite of what you need to be doing - making the improvement a habit.

Second, by calling them resolutions we mislead ourselves by improperly labeling these items - they are goals, and goals need to have several components in order to be useful. They need to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely - known by the acronym SMART. Most resolutions will resemble the following:

"I resolve to get myself in shape this year. 2009 is the year, baby!"

Now on the surface this seems like a good goal. The problem is that it's doomed to failure. First off, the person making the resolution is trying to step outside their life, to circumvent their habits by using the new year as a jumping point. Why the new year? What's so special about this one date? How will you then not use this logic to circumvent that goal on, say, your birthday? After all, it's your birthday, it's a special occasion!

Second, where's the specificity. What does the resolver define as being "in shape"? Personally I'm in shape right now, that shape just happens to be "bulbous." If it's not specific, how do we know when we've attained our goal? What about a deadline, to hold us accountable? There is absolutely no way to gauge the success or failure of this goal accurately - it is simply far too nebulous a beast to get a handle on.

When I was first out of college, my boss made me read a book entitled The Power of Focus - this book did a great job of laying out what one needs to do in order to achieve lasting self improvement. Specifically, it focuses on two areas - setting appropriate goals, and developing habits. Both of these areas are crucial in achieving the things you want - you need to get into the habit of doing whatever it is you need to do to achieve your goals, otherwise you will just relapse into the patterns that got you into the hole in the first place. This is why most resolutions fail - the person making the resolution is trying to sidestep their habits by making vague promises on a special day. I'm sorry, but the world just doesn't work that way.

So if you must, make your resolutions, but make them SMART. Don't fall into the trap that so many other people will fall into this year.