Nancy Scott, director of leadership development programs at UT’s Haslam College of Business, knows how to craft a New Year’s resolution that works.
Scott is an industrial and organizational psychologist who conducts assessments for students and corporate clients. She says successful resolutions start with a plan and has divided her approach into four simple steps.
1. Prioritize one goal-maybe two
If you set too many goals, you’ll soon be splitting your attention. That’s why it’s important to reflect on what matters to you most and choose one or two goals. Scott recommends separating personal and professional goals.
“If you limit yourself, your goals are more likely to stick with you,” Scott says. “Use your values as a guide, and consider what’s realistic based on constraints like time commitments and what you may have to sacrifice to achieve your goal.”