Bringing her arms up in a shiver, Charlene Casteno walked up the hill to school. It’s just an average day, nothing different about it except for that random rock that caused her to trip. Getting up slowly, she mutters a curse. Realizing what she had done, she utters another one. Why? Because she had broken her New Year’s resolution already, which was to minimize her cursing.
Not even a month after the New Year has started people have already broken or just plain given up on their resolutions. According to www.destroydebt.com, statistics show that of the people who keep track of their New Year’s resolutions, about 80 percent of them don’t keep their commitments.
“I’m still cursing, even a little bit more than usual now. I haven’t given up. I’m still working at it. I try my best to keep trying,” said sophomore Charlene.
But it’s only a matter of will power – right?
“I always try and I always give up,” said social studies teacher, Ms. Mangiero who would rather her resolution remain undisclosed. Shaking her head with a sheepish grin, she continued, “I have the best intentions, but that and $2.50 will get me on the train. I never make a plan.” As we continued our conversation, I myself was shocked about what came out of her mouth next.
“Maybe I should make a SMART goal. I should ask Mrs. Emmerson, she’s good at making those.”
Is she serious? Using the SMART goals in real life–she must be kidding! If you think about it though, it might help.
According to http://www.guardian.co.uk, those who made a series of small goals had an average success rate of 35 percent. Those who told their friends about their goal, rewarded themselves after a small step they had made, focused on the benefits, and kept a diary of progress had a success rate of 50 percent.
Even in our school it works.
“My resolution is to make more time to spend with my family. Is it working? Yes,” said Paraprofessional Kathy Ronos. “I’m taking small steps.”
Surprisingly, SMART goals can work. I can hear the groans coming from the readers already, but hear me out. For those lucky enough to not know what a SMART goal is, it’s a goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. SMART goals cover the who, what, when, where, and whys of your goal while also making you ask; what can I measure to check my progress? How can I attain it?
If it sounds incredibly annoying on paper, be sure to know it is incredibly annoying to stick to in real life, but it works. If you want to keep your New Year’s resolution, this is an idea on how to do it. If it’s important to you, then it shouldn’t be a problem to just try it, no? Be sure to remember that slip-ups happen. Don’t give up because you mess up once or twice.
As Charlene says, “Go hard or go home.” So keep trying everyone.
