Another year has come to an end and millions of Americans will engage in thoughts and conversations about how this will finally be the year that they reach their New Year’s resolutions. Two years ago you stayed on track for close to three months while this past year you didn’t make it past week three.

So the questions begs, what does it take to actually keep those resolutions and reach all the goals that you have set for yourself? That’s a tough question because we are all different, but here are a few common reasons as to why many people don’t follow through with all their New Year’s resolutions.

Too Vague
If you really want to reach a goal you have to know exactly what that goal is. What does it mean to ‘get in better shape’, or to ‘improve my health’? That’s way too vague. If you’ve never step foot in a gym, in theory doing anything on a consistent basis will lead to being in better shape. You’d be much better off setting goals that you can actually see, goals like ‘I want to lose 20lbs’ or ‘I want to front squat 315lbs’. The more specific your goal is, the better the chance that you actually achieve your goal.

Not Attainable
One of the most obvious reasons that people don’t maintain their goals is because they usually aren’t attainable. Let’s go back to the example of someone who has never step foot in a gym. If this is the case, its probably not likely that you’ll be able to bench 300+lbs or squat 400+lbs within the next year…and if you do you’re a freak. Set goals that are attainable, crush them, and then make new goals, this way you’ll keep that fire burning and feel like your accomplishing something at the same time.

Setting A Timeframe
If you have a specific goal set, that is attainable yet realistic, you need to set a timeframe on reaching the goal. If your goal is to run the Boston Marathon you don’t have much of a choice since the race is set in stone, but if your goal is to drop 20lbs find a realistic time to drop the weight. Again, this needs to be specific and realistic. Dropping 20lbs in the next two weeks isn’t going to happen for anyone.

The clock’s ticking…

Tell Your Friends and Family
Letting the people close to you know about your goals is a good way to keep yourself on track. These people will hold you accountable when you are looking for excuses or starting to wonder from your game plan. Plus, these people care about you and aren’t afraid to hold your feet to the fire – which is what many of us need.

Take life by the horns this year and make it one of your best years yet. Set goals that are attainable in a certain timeframe and make sure they are specific, black or white, goals. This way you can hold yourself accountable while your friends and your family push you to reach all your goals. No more excuse making, dominate 2013!