Every year, millions of people around the U.S. begin a journey of self-improvement that starts on Jan. 1. Only 9% of people ultimately fulfill their goal. The issue may be the difficulty of the New Year’s goal or an ill-thought-out plan to achieve it. Individuals who are serious about their New Year’s Resolution would benefit from spending a little time thinking about how they can be in the 9% of successful goal setters.
Many people, including Granite Bay High School students, set goals that are too ambitious or too vague. Research shows the key to success is focusing on smarter goals that are easier to accomplish. Another way one can ensure a completed goal is by creating a timeline for executing smaller tasks that help with the resolution.
One of the most effective ways to set a resolution is to use the SMART method, created by George T. Doran. This acronym stands for set “specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound” goals.
“Specific” means that the goal is exactly what one wants to do, instead of an unclear idea. Take a New Year’s resolution and see if it can be made as detailed as possible.
For example, Ella Engleman, a sophomore, plans to compete in a half-marathon in the summer of 2026. This new feat will be a challenge for Engleman that will require a lot of training and hard work. Planning for that specific challenge, with a set deadline, will help her better accomplish this difficult task.
“Measurable” shows how progress will be made and how much progress has already been made, depending on how often something needs to be done for it. For Engelman, this might mean specific mileage milestones per week or month, or setting time requirements per mile.
“Attainable” shows that the goal is something that can actually be executed. If a goal is too lofty, expensive, time-consuming or far-fetched, it probably is not attainable. Going to the moon, winning the lottery or meeting Tate McRae is not either. Attainable and realistic goals are critical for success.
“Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the goals throughout the year as I get busier,” Aubrie Buller, a freshman at GBHS, said. “This year, I plan to use less screen time. I am going to put reminders up in my room.”
Technology can be a tool to help reduce screen time. For an iPhone, just go to the Screen Time section in settings. Checking minutes spent on technology and setting a maximum time allowed will help achieve Buller’s intentions.
While making sure a goal is “relevant,” one has to make sure their goal fulfills their overall priorities or objectives.
The last method is “time-bound”—making sure to set a deadline for one’s goal. If someone only plans to fulfill their goal sometime this year, they might forget about it or procrastinate. By setting a deadline, they are ensuring that they are motivated to finish on time. For example, Emily Preininger, a freshman at GBHS, is setting a daily goal to drink more water.
“To fulfill my goal of drinking more water, I will get a water bottle that I enjoy and make sure to bring it to school every day, [to finish the bottle by the end of every school day]. I’ll also make reminders to fill it up,” Preininger said.
Popular categories for choosing a New Year’s resolution include personal growth, relationships, health, appearance, and making a difference in the community. These are just a few of the many topics to consider when setting a goal.
Mrs. Natasha Cattolico, an English teacher at GBHS, shared how reflecting on the year when the holiday comes around helps her formulate new goals.
“I try to use New Year’s as a time to reflect on the last year, and how I have been engaging with the different people in my life. My family, my friends. But also my health,” Cattolico said. “I have a goal of walking more steps, and last year I got an Apple watch, usually when I’m at work, I get over 10,000 steps a day. So my goal is to continue to have as many steps on the weekend, in the summer, and on breaks when I’m not at work.”
Cattolico’s New Year’s Resolution is a great example of a goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. She was thoughtful about creating a detailed plan of action that she could track and complete. She also made sure that her goal aligns with her personal priorities, as well as setting a deadline for the goal.
“[New Year’s Resolutions] are struggles,” Cattolico said. “They are goals that we have because we know our lives will be enriched, will be more healthy and fitter and maybe more alert and awake.”
