Turning resolutions into reinvention

It's as predictable as the sunrise: January 1 arrives, and you swear you're going to eat better, exercise more, or take up piano or painting or pottery. But New Year's resolutions often fall away as fast as the ball in Times Square at midnight.

About 80% of New Year's resolutions are forgotten by February, and only 9% of people who make them stick to them all year long, according to market research company Drive Research.

Perhaps part of the problem is that New Year's resolutions limit us to thinking we can only turn over a new leaf at the turn of a calendar year. But true reinvention can begin at any time — a liberating notion that makes any day a fresh opportunity to stretch toward goals we long to achieve.

Halfway through the year is another common time to take stock, a Harvard expert says. A new season, job, or relationship also presents an occasion to reimagine yourself.

"Sometimes we just knee-jerk a resolution without personalizing it to ourselves and our current situation, age, and stage of life," says Dr. Beth Frates, director of lifestyle medicine and wellness in the Department of Surgery at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "I don't think we're really sitting down and making New Year's resolutions that speak to us. If we were, we'd likely have more motivation to continue with them."

A change of approach

How can we harness any time of year for reinvention? The trick, Dr. Frates says, is not to entirely abandon the concept of resolution making — just the approach. Instead of stating a hazy desire to get fit or eat more healthfully, for example, carve those goals into digestible chunks that seem far easier — and perhaps a lot more fun — to accomplish.

Envisioning your ideal future self is key to this process, she says. "In 10 years, where do you want to be? Who do you want around you? What work, whether paid or volunteer, do you want to be doing? How do you want to be moving your body? How do you want to be feeling day to day?"

Now, distill that image even further by setting a vision for yourself in one year. Dr. Frates suggests asking

• why you want that vision
• how it meshes with your core values
• what you need to do to reach it.

"Whatever the one-year goal is, it needs to be broken down into six-month goals, month-by-month goals, one-month goals, and finally, one-week goals," Dr. Frates says. "Those goals need to be SMART: specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-sensitive. When we set a vision and stepwise goals, we can help ourselves stay on track."

Path to success

While this approach requires a bit of work up front, Dr. Frates says, it pays dividends later. She offers these strategies to help your goal become reality:

Write it down. This simple act makes your objective seem more concrete and less intimidating.

Break it into steps. Define exactly how you'll see your goal to fruition over the coming months. If you decide you want to be walking regularly in six months' time, for example, determine what it will take to get there. "Instead of jumping into the idea of walking five days a week — and making no progress — ramping up to where you want to be is important," she says. "That progression keeps us excited and interested."

Track your progress. Wearable devices can accomplish this for many types of goals, but so can an old-school pad of paper and pen.

Be accountable. Accountability doesn't only mean being responsible to another person. But having someone else invested in your progress can fuel you, especially if you falter. "Sharing your vision and goals with friends and family can help you remain motivated and inspired," Dr. Frates says, "particularly if others are also on a healthy-change journey."

Tie it to an event. If you decide you want to exercise more, for instance, consider signing up for a 5K or something similar. "Maybe you'll walk it or jog it, depending on how your exercise progresses. But if you put money down, now there's pressure to train for it," she says. "These kinds of things help keep us focused and help keep the goal the priority."

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