Are new year’s resolutions worth it? Or do you just feel like more of a failure when you give up on them? Knowing how to make your New Year’s resolutions effective and meaningful for you will keep you on track.

As stated in The NY Times, According to the time management firm FranklinCovey, one third of resolutioners don’t make it past the end of January. We soon develop an “inner critic” that develop self doubt and want to punish us for not achieving our goals. The problem with resolutions is that if they don’t bring meaning to your life, we won’t have a substantial reason to keep going with them.

To bring meaning to your resolutions, consider a few things. Make it specific. Do not make your resolution vague, include a detailed goal. Instead of saying “I want to have a faster running time”, say “I want to shorten my mile time to 7 minutes.” Next make your goal measurable. Overtime, you want to see progress because your goal will not just happen overnight. If your goal is to have a shorter mile time, record all your mile times till you get to your end goal.

Making a resolution to impress others is not smart. You want to make your resolution achievable. If your goal is to become rich is not reasonable. Instead, your goal should start with saving money first. Along with this, making your goal relevant is probably the most important. Are you making this goal for the right reasons? The stronger desire you have to achieve your goal, the more likely you will achieve it. According to The NY Times, Psychiatrist and co-author of two self-help books, Dr. Michael Bennett, stated, “If you do it out of the sense of self-hate or remorse or a strong passion in that moment, it doesn’t usually last long.”

New Year’s resolution don’t always have to be about yourself either. You can shift your focus away from fixing yourself and become more generous. Generosity is very beneficial for our physical health. According to Psychology Today, “A new study shows that people who live a life of “purpose or meaning” have low levels of cellular inflammation.” Start with small acts of kindness and work your way up to the bigger acts of kindness, like volunteering for a couple hours a day.

So… Are New Year’s resolutions worth it? I believe they are, only if you they are meaningful and done right. Making a resolution to fit in with the rest of society won’t make it effective. Instead of saying “New year, new me”, say “New year, improved me.”