Must-Read: Make Sure Those Resolutions Stick

Stick to those resolutions

So, 2011 is here. And seeing as we’re only a few days into it, I’m sure a lot of those New Years Resolutions are still intact. You’re getting more exercise, reading more books, learning how to cook, quitting smoking, going on a few more dates … and that’s normally the way it goes for the first little bit of the new year. It’s when you get deeper into the year that the resolutions tend to go by the wayside and it just becomes another statistical casualty. Luckily, the folks at Men’s Health are here to help us.

They’ve put together a list of various popular New Years Resolutions (ex: “Be a Better Husband” and “Become a Millionaire” show the scale) and how someone can achieve that goal in the upcoming year. For example, here’s their method for how to successfully quit smoking in 2011:

Step 1. Find the Right Motivation

Roughly 80 percent of smokers admit they would like to quit, but only about three percent make an effort. Of those, only 1 percent of smokers report success. In other words, the old-fashioned scare tactics just aren’t working. People know the risks of smoking, but the addiction trumps rationality every time. What you need isn’t the cold, hard logic of anti-smoking campaigns, but a more potent motivator?something that lets you measure the impact of your effort beyond yourself.

“What will change your behavior is something very, very personal,” says Terry Rustin, M.D., author of Quit and Stay Quit. “In an honest environment, ask the people you love how your smoking has affected them. You might be surprised to hear your habit triggered asthma attacks in your kids, or kept them underweight.” Or maybe your family members are simply embarrassed that their clothes smell like smoke. Such a revelation?even if it’s fueled by guilt?just might give you the necessary fuel to stay the course when you’re inclined to cheat.

And that’s just step 1. There’s another five of them in the section. It is, as you’d guess, a pretty substantial guide. In any case, it’s worth a click-through just to see if your resolution is listed. Reading through some helpful tips certainly can’t hurt.