2020 – the start of a new year and a new decade! It’s the time of year when most people are making resolutions.

What ever happens to those resolutions? Do you find yourself making the same ones year after year because you never quite master them? Do you even remember what your resolutions are by year end?

Too often, resolutions are aspirational plans without a means to accomplish them. That’s where habit comes in. Think of a resolution as a goal, and habits as a system for accomplishing the goal. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, says that:

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

To get the result you want, focus less on the specific outcome – e.g., losing 25 pounds by year end – and more on the specific habits that will help you achieve it.

Developing Good Habits and Breaking Bad Ones

I often quote Atomic Habits because it is so practical and incremental. The five key principles from the book are listed below. To make these principles come alive, click here to watch a 7-minute interview with the author. It is a great investment of time to kick off the year.

Start by building an incredibly small habit — something you can do in less than 2 minutes.
Increase your habit in very small ways.
As you build, break habits into chunks.
When you slip, get back on track.
Be patient. Stick to a pace you can sustain.