I don't want to come off like a motivational life coach. This plan is really how you do it. It's simple.

If you want to reach any goal, it can't be a mere vision quest. OK... if it's one goal you have burned into your psyche then yes, that's a vision quest. The New Year's Resolution is different.

First off, most of us have a few resolutions. You can have as many as you want, but the key to each and every one is WRITE IT DOWN.

We've all heard that before. It's not the key to keeping your resolution. The key is to make yourself accountable. To do this, POST your resolutions for all to see. No, not on your MySpace page ...Well maybe. It depends on how personal it is.

No. You post it in your cubical at work, or on the fridge at home. When others see your goals, you are now accountable. Now let's use an example, one all of us can relate to. A new job. Let's say in this coming year you want a new job. Road map it. By January 10th you'll have your resume completed, or updated. Whichever. Then you set small goals. Each week you promise yourself that the resume will be sent out to no less than two new prospective employers per week. If after three weeks you are not hired you will send it to no less than 5 or 8 prospective employers. You make a goal of no less than one interview per week. These are all bullets under your listed resolution/goal.

Let's say it's lose weight, or just plain eating better. For instance last year I gave up donuts. This year I intend to minimize my chocolate consumption. One dark chocolate bar per day and only if I trained. No I don't eat a chocolate bar per day, I'm making this up. But I do intend to stick to some habits I had not in the past year. I will have things like:

Example A. 1 Teaspoon of vinegar per day (cleans blood - improves metabolism which burns fat)
Example B. Yogurt three times per week, before bed time (cleans colon etc...)

Of course I do have more aggressive resolutions such as an abs project I started a couple years ago. So I may commit to X number of training sessions per week.

Now not all resolutions surround doing for yourself like quitting smoking, getting healthy, finding a job or losing weight. There is also the non-selfish resolution of doing for others. If you plan on helping in a food kitchen or something like that, set dates for your outbound search of these places. Establish days you are free or will make yourself free. Establish goals of how much money you may want to help raise, or some other measurable result that benefits the organization you want to help with. And yes, this is one of my resolutions. Putting money in the salvation army pot wasn't enough for me, and standing in the cold ringing bell isn't something I believe is enough either, my intentions are to dedicate time on a greater level. But to do any of these things I need to make myself accountable and have constant reminder that this is a goal of mine.

The point of these examples is you break them down while writing them down.

So in review:

1. Write them down.
2. Detail them with a plan bullet list style
3. Post it for all to see

At the end of the year you may not have achieved them all, but in contrast to past years, you'll have achieved something.

Have a great year! I plan on it. It's a resolution of mine.