By: Carolina Lafuente

“New year, new me,” you’ve probably seen it a thousand times on January 1st over social media, but why has this phrase become so cliche?

The truth is, about 80 percent of people fail to stick to their New Year’s resolutions. By the end of 2016, many are even asking themselves, why bother making a list?

I recently joined a gym and part of the membership included a health assessment. I met with a coach from the gym and as I sat in his office he asked, “what are your goals?”

“Just to be fit,” I answered.The problem with my answer, as he mentioned, was that I didn’t really have a set goal in mind and with that being said, how was I supposed to improve myself?

I was going day-by-day without a sense of direction because I didn’t know where it was I wanted to end up. Eventually, I probably would’ve gotten bored and lost my motivation.

Same goes with New Year’s resolutions. How are we supposed to grow if we don’t target specific areas in our lives where we want to improve? Without set intentions we forget what it is we want, and end up in the same rut as the previous year.

Whether your goal is to grow your business, learn a new skill or get abs like Adriana Lima after giving birth, you should write them down and think about the necessary steps to reach these goals.

Then, place this list somewhere you’ll come across it every morning. Make it your phone homescreen, tape it on your desk, laminate it and hang it in the shower. The point is, to never lose sight of what you want.

As the beloved Debbie Reynolds said in Halloweentown, “All you have to do is want something and then let yourself have it.”

Write that list, check it twice and set your environment to help you reach those intentions. Just remember to keep it real… we can’t all win the lottery.