The new year affords us the opportunity of retrospection, a time when we look at what we need to improve upon in our life in order to be happier.

Resolutions are only as successful as the planning that goes into them.

For instance, a very good friend of mine once said this: 鈥淓veryone wants to be healthy but not everyone is willing to do the work.鈥�

Here鈥檚 a plan that will make every single one of your resolutions become a realization.

First, select obtainable and realistic goals. If your goals are too lofty you will be setting yourself up for failure.

For instance if one of your goals is to lose weight, a healthy goal is between one and two pounds of weight loss per week. Ergo, over the next six months, it is reasonable to expect that you would lose almost 50 pounds.

Most importantly, select goals that are entirely within your control and within your circle of influence not circle of concern.

When establishing your goals, make sure that you have significant and measurable daily, weekly and monthly goals in order to give you the feedback you need to see with you on track or not.

Be careful not to choose too many drastic changes at one time. As I say, make sure it is obtainable. I usually pick no more than two goals at a time.

The act of writing down your goals is a powerful one. This now becomes a contract that you make with yourself. Post your goals on your mirror, in your wallet, your workstation etc.

The more you see it the more your subconscious mind will align itself in the direction you want to head. If your goals are personal ones use a code that is known only to you.

It is also important to share your goals with those around you if it is a supportive environment.

If your husband, wife, children or coworkers are on board then chances are your outcome will be better than if you鈥檙e to keep it to yourself.

This makes us more accountable for our actions as we know 鈥榯hey鈥� will be watching. It鈥檚 always nice when others celebrate your success.

And you will succeed. Don鈥檛 enter into your goal as a dutiful laborious task. Enter into it with a sense of joy, dedication and achievement.

Believe that you have already achieved your goal. This is more powerful than we can imagine.

Possibly the most effective approach in keeping your resolution is to anticipate any reasons why you may fail, before you experience them.

We all know our own weaknesses and our triggers for a less than desirable outcome. Identify them and have a plan of action to keep you on track towards realizing your goal.

Anticipate blocks in your way, identify them when they occur and then implement a plan that you have already created around that behaviour when you see it presented to you. I think it best to respond rather than react.

When reviewing your daily goals and checking off items that you did that day, or didn鈥檛 do for that matter, know that you are a success.

A wise man once said that we could live with the pain of dedication and commitment or we can live with the pain of disappointment.The two have entirely different outcomes.