Once you know what you want and how badly you want it, think about what you’ve tried in the past to achieve this goal. Write it down! If this is a brand-new want, you may not have tried anything before. And that’s ok! If this is something you’ve wanted before, and did not follow through with, that is okay, too! If this is something you’ve wanted for a long time and have tried many things, how well did it work out? What are some of the things that did work and what are the efforts that did not? Again, write this down. 

By now, you know what you want and how badly you want it. You are also aware of your past efforts, what has worked and what did not. Now ask yourself “What can I do differently and what am I willing to do to make sure this works this time.” This is your plan of action. Be as detailed as possible. If your resolution is to lose weight, write down how you’re going to do this. Example: 

• I will commit to exercise 3 days a week for 1 hour (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
• I will cut down to only having fast food 1 day per week and eat home cooked meals the rest of the week
• I will drink 72 oz water per day. (Break this down into how many ounces per hour.)
• I will cut down on sodas to 1 per week and replace with water or unsweet tea.

Dr. Robert Wubbolding, author of Reality Therapy for the 21^st Century, attests that for a plan to be effective, it must be “Simple, Attainable, Measurable, Immediate and Controlled by the planner (SAMIC).”

It can be whatever steps you feel you need to take to make this happen. If you find yourself not knowing what steps need to be taken, make a step to include researching or talking to someone who knows more about what it is that you want.  Again, be specific and realistic. Don’t set standards too high. Committing to working out 3 hours a day 7 days a week can be overwhelming and set someone up to fail. If you can do more on certain days than usual, do it. But only write down what is manageable and what you’re willing to commit to.