A recent study says that most people give up on their resolutions in the month of February after finding that they simply cannot maintain them. It has been seen that New Year resolutions concerning health are the most popular and indeed they are also the first casualty. As people find that their health has become a major concern they make a resolution which reads like this: “I am going to be a fully healthy person this year,” or “I plan to become lean and thin like this celebrity.” Obviously, such grand resolutions are very, very difficult for the majority. Thus health clubs or fitness clinics, which see a dramatic rise in membership in the first week of January every year, see an equally dramatic fall in membership in just the second month.
What exactly is “resolution”? Lord Krishna praises this quality in the Bhagavad-gita(2.41): “Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many branched.”
So how can one define determination? Is it just reckless foolhardiness or dogged stubbornness? Well, we see from this story that it is based on qualities like simplicity, faith in your cause, hard work and – most important of all – help from higher sources.
As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow that lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuda, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Visnu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuda was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once asked the ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuda.
Here are three tips to help you stick to your resolutions:
1. Set short term goals,
2. Write them down,
3. Make a periodical review every three months.