If you're like me, you've made a New Year's resolution but have already failed. And it's not even the end of January! Take heart, our failure wasn't due to lack of good intentions, it was due to lack of planning and accountability. The number one way to make your goals achievable is to make them specific and measureable. Right now, write out (or type out) what you need to do daily, weekly, and/or monthly to reach your goal. Here's a few examples...

Previous goal: floss more
Revised goal: floss every day in 2006. Every day I will put a check on the calendar in my bedroom when I floss. In six months, at my next dental check-up, I will ask how my gum and plaque levels compare to my previous check up.

Previous goal: lose weight
Revised goal: I will follow the South Beach Diet until I lose 12 pounds. Every day I will write down what I eat. Every week I will weight myself and record my weight. Every month I will review my food and weight journals and plan the next month.

Previous goal: write more
Revised goal: I will write a 100-500 word blog every day for writing up. Daily I will post 1 blogs. Weekly, I will read and comment on other people's blogs. Montly I will brainstorm a list of blog topics for the next month so I don't get blogger's block.