The clock strikes 12 o’clock, and the ball drops. Champagne glasses clink, children blow on party horns, lovers kiss, and everyone smiles as they say, “Happy New Year!” It’s officially the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one. The room is filled with a sense of relief, joy, and hope. Suddenly, December 31 and January 1 became a year apart, and most of the people in the room cloud their heads with the optimism that they’re going to transform themselves into a 2.0 version of who they are now.

But in reality, that’s what they said last year, and they’re still the same.

New Year’s resolutions are personal yearly traditions that live on as a new year rolls around. It is our big promise to ourselves that we’re going to be better whether it’s exercising more, being more organized, quitting a habit, or starting a new one. But why don’t these promises for our “new” selves ever last ?

New Year’s resolutions are the surface level of our high expectations for ourselves. Most of the time, they are easier said than done. Sometimes, these resolutions are influenced by what we thinkwe should be doing rather than what we truly wantto do. We set big goals for ourselves such as,”I’m going to lose 10 pounds… I’m going to get bigger & stronger… I’m going to be in a relationship… I’m going to be nicer.”

So how do we make New Year’s resolutions that actually work?

1. The easier the goal, the easier it is to accomplish it. Set goals for yourself that you know are easily attainable. Instead of saying, “I’m going to lose 10 pounds by March,” say, “I’m going to workout for an hour a day.” If we make goals that are smaller, it is easier to achieve it.

2. Consistency is key. If you set a goal for yourself, turn that goal into a habit. You can’t put effort into that goal once in a while. You have to put effort most of the time to get to the outcome that you want.

3. Focus on the end result. There are many times where you might feel hopeless and want to give up on a goal that you made for yourself because it’s taking too long. Accept that everything takes time. It may take a matter of days, weeks, or maybe even months. However long it takes you, focus on the end result and the outcome of that goal.

4. Appreciate the experience.If you still feel like you’re not getting to your desired result after an amount of time, look back on what you have been putting in. Compare yourself from day 1 and the outcome of today. Appreciate the experience and see how far you’ve gone.

Many small, easy goals can contribute to a big goal. Keeping up with this consistently with a mindset filled with gratitude will eventually lead you to your ultimate outcome. The Truth about New Year’s resolutions is that they don’t always last because they’re not always easy, but take that as a challenge. Maybe next time the December 31 rolls around you can look back at what you have accomplished instead of making a false promise to yourself that you’re going to change.