It’s the third week of January, and I have to ask: how’s your commitment to change holding up?

If it’s starting to waver, be kind to yourself—you’re completely normal. Remember the stats I shared earlier this month? By the end of January, half of those who have set New Year’s resolutions have already abandoned them.

And that’s no surprise—building new habits is tough. Real change doesn’t happen because of motivation alone. It takes the right systems, clear actions, and accountability to turn good intentions into lasting results.

Because here’s the truth: simply wishing for a healthier, happier life is just a daydream. It’s not until you get specific about your goals and build a framework to support them, that your dreams turn into your reality.

And I know that you’re not interested in just daydreaming—you’re focused on getting exactly what you want out of life. That’s why I’m sharing five powerful tools to help you stick with your goals not just through the end of January but, as my son would say, “to infinity and beyond”.

Step 1: Visualize it

Getting specific about who you’ll be when you achieve your goals is essential for staying motivated and taking the necessary action. One powerful way to do this is by creating a vivid and inspiring vision of your future self. To do this, take some time to imagine how you’ll feel, the way you’ll think, the things you’ll do for yourself daily, and even what you’ll wear. The more detailed and compelling your vision becomes, the easier it is to align your actions with that future reality.

Why? Because when you create an emotional connection to the person you’re growing into and you can truly feel what the change will be like, you start to believe it’s not just possible—it’s inevitable and it’s exciting!

Plus, it can also significantly influence your choices today. One study found that people who tapped into the compelling vision of their future selves were able to reduce their intake of tempting, calorie-dense foods by nearly one-third. That’s the power of connecting with the version of you that you’re excited to become—it makes today’s tough choices feel worth it.

To create your own compelling future self vision, I highly recommend tuning into this podcast. You can also find it on the Apple Podcast app by searching the Goal Digger podcast, Episode 844. The visualization exercise is around the 48-minute mark. But I must offer a warning: after you hear it once, you may want to listen to it on the daily. It’s that good!

Step 2: Write it

Once you have your vision to tap into, you also need to become clear about how you’ll get there—and how to make sure you take the necessary action. That’s why the second essential tool for cementing lasting habits is surprisingly simple: putting pen to paper.

This step is important because what gets written down gets done. Writing things down creates a personal contract with yourself. It also transforms fleeting thoughts into tangible commitments and embeds your intentions more deeply into your brain. This not only strengthens your resolve but also makes you far less likely to brush things off or forget.

One effective way to do this is by crafting intention statements. For example, you write down:

At [ENTER THE TIME], I will do [ENTER THE ACTION] in [ENTER THE PLACE].

Here are a couple of examples:

• At 830am each weekday, I will workout for 60 minutes in my garage.

• At 730am on Sunday, I will go to my kitchen and make 3 meals for the upcoming week.

• At 9pm Sunday through Thursday, the lights will be off, my phone will be away, and I’ll be in my bed.

You can also use a similar written sentence to plan other behaviours as well. In this case, you consider your ideal response in an if/when/then statement. Here’s how it works:

• If I don’t feel like exercising when it’s time to go, then I’ll count 5-4-3-2-1 and do it anyway.

• If I start to have a craving when I’m not truly hungry, then I’ll drink a glass of water, set a timer for 10 minutes, and leave the kitchen. After 10 minutes, I can reevaluate whether I still want that specific food.

• If I’m too tired when it’s time to go grocery shopping, then I’ll remind myself of how my week will unfold if I don’t set myself up for success with proper meals. This will help me recognize the effort now is worth it later.

Step 3: Schedule it

The third key to sticking with your habits is scheduling them.

When you put your habits on the calendar, you’re making an appointment with yourself. And just like you wouldn’t casually cancel a doctor’s visit, a meeting with a colleague, lunch with your bestie, or a hair appointment, you’re far less likely to cancel on you.

Scheduling your habits reinforces their importance and makes them a non-negotiable part of your day. It’s also a powerful reminder that you are in charge of how your time is spent. By treating your commitments to yourself with the same respect you give others, you’re reinforcing that your goals matter.

Step 4: Track it

The fourth step to building habits that transform your life is tracking your consistency.

This doesn’t have to be complicated—whether it’s a day planner, a calendar that hangs on your wall, or the family whiteboard in your kitchen, choose something you can physically write on. Mark off the days when you nail your chosen habit, like moving your body, hitting your protein target, or prioritizing rest. That small checkmark or "X" can be so powerful.

Why? Because each time you mark a habit as completed, your brain gets a little dopamine hit—a reward that reinforces future behavior and makes it more likely you’ll repeat it the next day.

Plus, as you see those checkmarks add up, you’ll feel an extra surge of motivation. You won’t want to “break the chain” of your progress. Over time, this simple practice creates momentum, helping you stay on track and build the consistency that leads to life changing results!

Step 5: Celebrate it

The fifth step to crushing your goals in 2025 is celebrating your hard work and consistency.

Our brains have a sneaky way of zeroing in on what we didn’t do, where we fell short, or how we didn’t show up. Shifting your focus to what you have achieved is critical for building momentum and confidence.

When you consciously celebrate your wins—big or small—you start to rewire your brain to think more positively about the actions you’re taking. This mindset shift fuels your belief in yourself, making you less likely to get derailed when things don’t go perfectly.

I know 2025 is your year to THRIVE! Use this five-step system to make that happen. Stay connected to the incredible person you’re growing into, write down the implementation formula needed to stick to the habits that will get you there, commit to yourself by scheduling your needs into your appointment system, track your progress and focus on keeping your streak alive, and last but not least, celebrate every teeny, tiny win that you have! And please share them with me so I can celebrate along with you 💖