Why You Should Put Your Resolutions in Writing

We make New Year’s resolutions with good intentions. We want to improve our lives by establishing good habits or eliminating bad ones. Each year, nearly 89 percent of people make New Year’s resolutions, such as quitting smoking, losing weight, or finding time to relax and reduce stress.

Although we make our resolutions with good intentions, only 46 percent of us will be successful after six months. Why can’t we keep our resolutions? Some experts say it’s not because of a lack of willpower, but because we don’t create environments for ourselves that encourage commitment. One way to create the right environment is by writing.

Research has shown that having people fill out sales forms in front of salespeople increases commitment to buy. Hospitals see lower cancellation rates when patients fill in their own appointment sheets. Similarly, research by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, shows that you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals by writing them down. Why?

1 Writing helps you put your resolution in concrete terms
Having a resolution in mind is different from having it on paper. When you write your resolution, you need to define exactly what you want to achieve. Instead of making a general resolution to lose weight, write a resolution that is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely, or SMART.

2 Seeing your resolution every day renews your commitment
If you’re feeling directionless, seeing your resolution as you wrote it down may remind you of what you’d like to achieve. You can’t forget about it if you see it every day. Seeing the written reminder will also encourage you to seek opportunities that help you achieve your goal.

3 It makes you accountable
Another element of Dr. Matthews’s study is that accountability creates the highest rates of goal achievement. Participants who sent weekly progress updates to a supportive friend were most likely to achieve their goals, due to accountability. Writing your resolution down and putting it in plain view of others in your home creates a similar effect by making others aware of what you’re trying to achieve. Thus, you feel more accountable for it.

Writing is a powerful tool. Writing your resolutions is similar to making a contract with yourself for success. Do it and see what you can achieve in the new year.

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