In January 2007, we ran a survey asking our visitors how well they do when it comes to setting and meeting their goals. What a better time to this than when everyone’s making (or breaking!) those New Year’s resolutions?!

Gabby, 15, made a resolution to change “everything” this year, asking “Why live if you don’t move forward?”

Like Gabby, lots of people set goals and make changes. It’s all part of the process of self-discovery. But deciding on a goal or something that needs changing is the easy part. The hard part is all the work that goes into getting there.

We heard voices from 900 people ages 13-18. More than three quarters (77%) made New Year’s resolutions on everything from losing weight to learning how to play the guitar. And, almost all of them say they are doing pretty good with sticking to their goals.

More of what the survey revealed:

Most Common Goals:

 We gave our survey-takers examples of some common types of resolutions and asked if their resolutions fit into these categories. Here’s how the goals we asked about raked in terms of popularity:

  1. Lose weight

  2. Do something for personal development (learning a new skill, or hobby)

  3. Do better in school.

  4. Get more exercise

  5. Kick a bad habit (smoking, gossiping or being more punctional)

Making It Happen…

 To reach a goal, it helps to have a plan with specific steps. It also helps to tell your goal to someone you trust – supporive friends and family come in very handy for those time when your willpower’s doing a couch potato act.  But do people really make plans and ask for support? or do they just wing it? Our survey showed a bit of both: 55% of the survey-takers said they made specific plans, but 45% said they just let things happen. And while 49% shared their resolution with someone else, 51% perferred to keep it private.

The people who love you can help you stick with a goal or make a change. But what about th people who just pretend to care? Some said that ‘friends can also be bad influences,’ and they decided that if they were going to make some of their new changes and make a difference in their lives then they had to change their circle of friends, and people they kept closely around them.

…or Not

 It can be tough to stick with a goal for a long time, especially when you don’t have the right support. Of the people in our survey who gave up on their resolutions, most (39%) said it was because they couldn’t get motivated to do it. The fact that so many people give up on resolutions is one reasone why 23% of our survey-takers said they don’t make any resolutions at all.

Staying Positive

 Although some people do give up, our survey shows that most of you are definitely not quitters. An impressive 92% of our survey-takers are still on target to meet thier goals. What’s even more impressive is that mor than a third of them say they slipped up but then got back on track again. It’s hard to do. When people stray from their goals, it’s tempting to give up altogether. But slip-ups ar actually part of the learning process!

• Half of respondents said they were “very confident” that they’d reach their goals.
• 43% reported that they were “somewhat confident” they’d reach thier goals.
• And only 7% of the survey-takers said that didnt think they’d make it.

People started believing in me so I started believing in me. -Juneil, 16.

Staying Motivated!

 Recognizing and enjoying small successes is one motivator for people who are trying to stick with a resolution. Taking inspiration from someone or something else also helps many of you. Lots of readers talked about looking up to someone they knew who had accomplished a goal. One reader once said, that she wanted be more managable of her wight due to diabetes, and she would think of her aunt, who too was struggling, and together they made a pac to help eachother out.

When Times Are Tough

 A number of you made resloutions to help overcome serious difficulties. Some of the people who took our survey said they had been hospitalized for depression, eating disorders, or even attempted suicide. One young teen told us that she is motivated to work through her problems because, “I dont want to end up back in the hospital, and watching it hurt my family and friends.”

 If things are really tough, making a resolution to change often isnt enough. It can be hard to stay motivated when you’re doing it alone. People with serious problems need help from friends and family.

Focus on Accomplishments, Not Failures

 If you’ve made a resolution that’s a struggle to keep, it can help to focus on the little things that you have already achieved, rather than thinking about what you’ve done wrong or when you’ve slipped up.

Tell yourself how much better you feel. Like Stacy, 14, who said, “I think of how much healthier I’m eating and how eating an apple instead of a peice of cake makes you feel better.” or “When I cut down ‘media’ time and go for a run, the gym, or play outside, I feel refreshed, and healthier!”

 Give yourself rewards! If you scored a B+ on a math test that you wouldve normally failed, because of a little more effort with asking for tutoring, or a little extra studing, treat yourself to something fun! Go to the movies one weekend afternoon, or go to the library and spend some time with friends enjoying some media gossip, and having a fun gathering instead of a eductional gathering.

 Most of all, take it easy on yourself. Just take it one day at a time, then a week, then a month- then it will be a year, and you will look back all the progession youve made, and relize that yes you can make a change!