I was thinking the other day, what's the problem with January of every year? Whenever we reach December, we tend to reflect on our mistakes, the flops, the good, bad, and ugly. There's nothing wrong with it - except that by the end of January of the new year, most people give up.

It's insanity to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. "While January is usually one of the weakest months in terms of retail sales, some products buck the trend. Kitchen equipment (such as smoothie-makers, soup makers and blenders), sportswear and fitness products, smoking cessation products and fresh food are popular in January," according to Bryan Roberts, retail analyst at Kantar Retail.

Obviously, gym memberships do very well in January due to most people's good intention to lose weight or exercise more.

But, as Vitalsmarts highlights, "nearly 30% of people will give up on their resolutions within the first month and an additional 25.18% will give up before the three-month mark. Which could mean that shortly after acquiring the much desired smoothie-maker, it will quickly get shoved at the back of the cupboard, to quietly gather dust."

Does that sound like you? You set your goals and plans - determine to make them work; however, by mid-year, if not February, you've either forgotten about your plan and the gadgets you spent a lot of money on("investment" you call it). So how can we change this? Here are some few tips.

Tips For You

I may not be a "resolution" guru, but I know one or two things about sticking to plans.

1) Seeing is Believing. Stick to plan...You didn't see that one coming, did you? Seriously! put that plan in a place where you can see it everyday. This creates a mental picture in your mind. "The body is a slave of your mind," a wise man told me. It's true. Your mind is the template - the fresh canvas where you can paint your desires and goals. As you continue to reflect on the plan, even when your body is sore and you're tired - maybe that business deal did not turn out the way you plan it, you'll have the drive to keep going.

2) Find accountability partners or friends. These are the human alarm clocks that can remind you about a specific plan, such as losing weight until you get it done. Get a gym buddy or a study partner.

Warning: spouse or significant other may not be an ideal human alarm clock because it can easily turn to nagging - which is rather annoying than encouraging.

3) State your Reasons. Finally, let's focus on how important these resolutions are to you. Write it down. Sometimes, we lose the steam - the passion or motivation to get things done because they lose the meaning over time. Why do you want to lose weight? Why are you trying to graduate this year? Why do you want to make more money? Document them! As the new year rolls by, reviewing your reasons for completing this target will give you the drive to finish. It's like stopping by a gas station to fill up your tank.

InfoNubia wishes you the best as you prepare for the new year 2014.

For more helpful tips on sticking to plans, avoiding procrastination, or positive thinking, check out the Inspirational section.

Source - http://www.infonubia.com/2013/12/and-here-goes-another-new-year.html