SWEATER - CLUB MONACO; JEANS - 7 FOR ALL MANKIND; SHOES - LINEA PAOLO; SLATE - ETSY

Please don’t wince when I ask this, but are you setting New Year’s resolutions? These Jan 1 objectives have got a bit of a bad rap for becoming Feb 1 failures. But that doesn’t mean yours won’t work! Executive and career coach Amy Calvin (who was also an exec at PR powerhouse Fleishman Hillard) thinks we should re-brand these annual assurances – given “resolution” has become associated with “capitulation.” “I’m all for resolutions if we call them something else!” the owner of BrightWays Coaching & Communications jokes. “Anytime there’s something you care about enough to set goals – that’s always worth it.” So how do we seize the (New Year’s) day and set vows we’ll live by? Read on for five goal-setting golden rules from the experts.

Reflect before you resolve

Stephanie pierce - coach, event host & hr consultant

How often do you get do something that’s just for you? In your busy life, probably not too often! Resolutions are just such a rare treat. Unlike a work objective, where your goals are tied to a business (aka someone else’s) strategy, resolutions are about making a commitment that’s good for you. So, “get clear on what you want,” says coach Stephanie Pierce of StephPierce.com. Steph admits that as a corporate HR Director, she didn’t always follow her own advice. “For a pretty long time, I was going after the goals I thought I wanted or was supposed to want. It felt uncomfortable and now I know why.” Now living her dream as a pro who helps others realize theirs, she’s embracing her mantra: “Be You. Do You. For You.”

2. Know your ‘why’

amy calvin, owner of brightways coaching & communications

Let’s say you want to get in shape. OK. Great. But why? Is it because you want to be healthier for your kids? Run a 10K? Fit into your skinny jeans? Feel more self-confident? “Knowing why you want to attain your goal and how you’ll feel when you attain it can be very motivating,” explains Amy. It can also help you write more on-point oaths. If what you really want is to be able to finish your first foot race – then commit to that. If it’s to fit into your [insert size] jeans, then choose pants peace. How to hear your inner voice when she’s competing with outer noise? Amy recommends “adding reflection into your life, not onto your life.” “Do what you usually do – walk, run, commute, go on holiday,” she urges, “and seize some moments to stop and reflect.”

3. Phone a friend

BELT - ISABLE MARANT; TEE - CLAUDIE PIERLOT

friend and fellow brit bea hundal who’s always a kind ear

A year is a long time to stay the course – so you want to make sure you get your resolutions right. “Ask a friend for input,” suggests Amy. “Someone who will poke holes where there are holes to be poked and help make your resolutions realistic.” Adds Steph, “we are not meant to do this life alone or figure this stuff out all by ourselves. Thank goodness for friends and family who can support you. Word, actions, even advice that doesn’t quite fit can be a goldmine!” Planning partners can turn into accountability partners once you’re resolved. “Check in with each other on how its going and share notes,” Amy recommends. “And encourage one another. Celebrating progress along the way is really important.”

4. Take work home

If you work for an organization, you may be going through the lovely task of trying to navigate your HR system to figure out how you’re supposed to enter your Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound goals. “Such fun!” as Miranda from the British TV show would say. But there are things we can learn from such organizational discipline. Amy particularly likes the “M” in S.M.A.R.T goals. “It’s easier to track progress when you measure something – and a number is ideal.” Let’s say you want to simplify your life. Lovely, yes. Measurable (or Specific), not so much. Amy suggests distilling your vision down into quantifiable steps. So “organize my life” could become “read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and Kon Mari one room per month.”

5. Help yourself succeed

You’re busy. You’ve got a ton going on. And resolutions are just one thing among many. How are you going to keep them from gathering dust? Amy recommends a visual reminder - on something you look at daily. If you’re in an office, it could be a quote on your computer or a picture in your cube. Mums could put a sticky note on the bathroom mirror or their goal on the dashboard for when they’re driving to school. “You could even put something on your holiday wish list, a piece of jewelry, say, that brings the goal to mind. That way you’d get a reminder and a treat in one!” If things change during the year, your goals can too. “Sometimes you have to take a thought or idea and work it to figure out whether it’s what you really want,” says Steph. “They can take time, but small tests can be invaluable on the journey to understanding and achieving your goals.”

Best of luck with making and sticking to your New Year’s resolutions. Do let us know what you’re resolving to do with a comment! Big thanks to Steph and Amy for their invaluable advice and inspiring example!