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We all make resolutions — mostly at the  first of the year when we are full of hope and inspiration.  Lose weight, better manage family budget, finish that novel.
 

However, how many of us actually achieve those goals?
 

Here are some tips on how to finally stick to your resolutions and achieve your goals.
 

Create Small Steps

Robert Wilson, a motivational speaker and author, has written several books on the topic and is a regular columnist for hundreds of publications, including Psychology Today. He says a key is to set realistic steps that help you along the pathway to achieving your goal. “Goals should be reasonable and easy to reach,” Wilson says.

Take weight loss. Wilson says too many people jump into that “I’m going to lose 100 pounds this year” mentality when it comes to resolutions. The trick is to go slow. Use a “small steps” approach. For example, focus on losing a pound a week instead of 10 or 15 pounds in a month. Small bites (no pun intended) are better than big ones.
 

Reward Yourself

When you reach that goal – say five pounds in one month, reward yourself. Not with a cheeseburger or chocolate but maybe a massage or a movie. Earning a reward for all of your hard work will help you stay on your resolution track.
 

Be Accountable

Keeping to your resolution is hard work. Don’t do it alone. Ask somebody to help keep you accountable. Consider talking regularly to somebody  – your spouse, a family member or a friend. Make a regular, scheduled time to discuss or meet. If it’s fitness related, find a workout partner.  For weight loss, look into joining a group like Weight Watchers. Accountability is effective in a group setting (think of AA and how successful it is).

Discipline is your Friend

In the end, it all boils down to your dedication, devotion and, most of all, self discipline. One of the keys to discipline is creating good habits. Wilson recommends keeping it simple.

For example, if you want to write that Great American Novel, here’s how Wilson suggests you do it: Pick a time of day that you want to write, and then write every single day at that time. It could be 10 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour. But just write one page a day. Guess what? At the end of the year, you will have a 365–page piece.

See the pattern here? Long–term goal = write a book. Short–term goal = write a page a day. Small steps win the war of resolutions!

Start your resolutions anytime of the year. Begin today. Just remember: start small, reward yourself and stay the course.