It’s that time of year again. You vow to turn bad habits into healthier lifestyle practices but end up throwing in the towel by the end of January. Why are resolutions so hard to keep? It’s all about strategy. While willpower can get you through the first week or two, it’s bound to fizzle. With the right approach, you can turn your two-week stunt into a healthy, lasting reality.

Be Realistic
When it comes to making your resolutions, think years, not months. Can you really eat 1,600 calories a day for the rest of your life? Set yourself up for success by making attainable and sustainable goals. Baby steps take just as much ambition and don’t hurt so much when they fail. Try resolving to stick with your change for 30 days. Mentally, it’s a manageable amount of time and long enough to condition a new habit.

Change One Habit at a Time
It’s easy to bundle major lifestyle changes into one resolution. If you’re cutting back on fatty foods, why not start training for a marathon too, right? Tackling several changes at once muddies your focus and provides more opportunities to fail. Dive into one until you can successfully cross it off the list before moving on. Remember: Slow and steady wins the race. Which leads us to the next tip.

Keep It in Perspective
Unhealthy habits don’t happen overnight, so don’t expect the turnaround to happen any quicker. There’s no magic pill—keep your expectations in check. Keep a daily journal to help track your progress, hold yourself accountable, and, most important, give yourself credit. Writing will reinforce your plan and clarify your thinking as you move through your challenge.

Learn From Your Mistakes
Get creative with your resolutions. Cutting out carbs or buying a gym membership isn’t necessarily your golden ticket to success. If you’re giving a previous resolution a second try, mix it up! Using the exact same strategy will likely get you the same results. For example, if you went at it alone last time, buddy up. If you set overly lofty goals, tone it down and opt for more measurable actions. Slight tweaks will get big results!

Brush Yourself Off and Try Again
Setbacks are bound to happen when you’re uprooting bad habits. Don’t dwell on it! Acknowledge your misstep and immediately get back on track. If you approach the resolution with enthusiasm, you’ll see even the slightest slipup as progress.