The New Year has arrived, and like the rest of the world, many of us have come up with resolutions that we hope to keep.

What were your resolutions this year? Going to the gym more often? Taking up a new hobby? How about enhancing your inner beauty? Whatever your resolution may be, the most difficult part is actually keeping it. In fact, according to Statistic Brain, only 8% of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions. So, how do you become part of the 8% in 2017?  In an effort to help keep you motivated and on-track to success, we compiled some tips to help you keep your New Year’s Resolutions!

1. Set realistic goals

It’s no surprise that setting tough goals will be more difficult to accomplish. That’s why it’s best to start with smaller changes and gradually increase the intensity with time. For example, when setting fitness goals avoid a dramatic workout schedule that requires going to the gym everyday. Instead start by going 2-3 times per week. Understand that long-term goals are achieved by setting smaller goals first.

2. Avoid setting too many goals

Sometimes it’s easy to get carried away with too many self-improvement goals. There’s nothing wrong with setting a few goals, but it can become problematic when your list gets too long! Goals require time and can be stressful, especially when they involve changing your behaviour and lifestyle. The more you try to do at once, the less likely you are to succeed. So instead of attempting several new goals at the same time, pick the one that’s most important to you. This way, you can direct all your energy to its success.

3. Get a motivational partner

Having a partner or a friend to keep you motivated and accountable for your actions is a sure way to stay on track! With the stress of everyday life it can be easy to lose motivation and give up. That’s why having a partner that knows your goals is important. They can provide encouragement and support, and help guide you through rough patches by cheering you on as you tackle obstacles!

4. Monitor regularly

Tracking your progress can help keep you motivated. Whether you choose to monitor on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis is up to you, but scheduling these check-up sessions is a great way to see how far you’ve come. For example, if you’re trying to quite your smoking habit, calculate how much you’ve saved by not smoking for 30 days.

5. Accept failure

It’s inevitable there will be moments of disappointment along the journey to self-improvement. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but set-backs are normal and they make you stronger when you learn from them. For example, if you ate a piece of cake today, don’t worry, get back on track tomorrow!

6. Make A Vision Board

Visualizing yourself succeeding in achieving your goals is an important step to success for many people. Having a vision board that displays your dreams is a great reminder of what you want and where you want to be when you accomplish those goals! For example, if you’re looking to travel more place photos of all the places you would like to visit on a wall that you see everyday. This will inspire you to work harder toward your goals!

7. Have patience

Results don’t happen overnight. So don’t fret if you’re not seeing any progress right away. Just keep going! Everyone will experience different degrees of transformation, which is why you cant compare your progress with those around you. Focus on yourself, and in due time you’ll be rewarded for your commitment!

9. Remove bad influences

I’ve found that in order to succeed at anything, you must be prepared to let go of the people or things that may impede your success. Examine your goals and environment to see if you have to remove anything that may slow your progress, and surround yourself with friends and family that will support you with positivity. This is probably the most difficult tip, but trust me, to make changes within, you must change the environment around you.

A new year is an opportunity to evaluate our lives and determine areas that we’d like to improve on. As we embark into 2017, we should evaluate what we want to achieve this year and find the strategies that will help us.

Remember that IGNITE has several services to aid in your success. Check out our financial services for all your money-focused resolutions and our Health and Wellness to get on-track to a healthy and happy 2017!