2012: Is a New Year's Resolution Necessary?

I'm looking at New Year's Resolutions a little differently this year. Why should I wait until January of every year to resolve to do something differently? Why not make changes when you decide to make a resolution, whether it's in March, August or January 1.

Time.com has a list of the Top 10 Commonly Broken New Year's Resolutions. Take a look at the list and you'll see that they're also the most commonly made New Year's Resolutions. Whether you're resolving to change something for your business or personal life, there is absolutely one thing you need: a plan! If you don't have a plan, you most likely won't achieve what you want. Your plan must have measurable goals or objectives. "Losing weight" isn't a good objective at all; "losing 30 pounds by June 1, 2012" is a measurable goal that you can track.

Also remember that it takes a long time to make a habit, and in most cases, that's what you're trying to achieve: a new habit for your lifestyle. The 21 day-to-make-a-habit rule no longer applies, instead, a UK psychology blog post suggests that it's different for different people. In their study it took an average of 66 days, but anywhere from 18 to 254 days.

No matter how long it takes for you to make a lifestyle or habit change, it takes hard work and conscious effort. The next time you think about making a positive change, don't wait for the sparkly ball in Times Square to drop for a fresh start.