Starting in early December for the past couple of years, I've seen the same topic come up on Twitter and Facebook not to mention in team meetings within my company, discussions between myself and husband and various social networks that I belong to.Goals for the new year.

So many people get excited about the New Year and yes, so do I. I can't help it. There's something about a fresh start that appeals to me. I've tried in past to do New Year's Resolutions. But I've given up on that. Yes, you read that right.

I don't make New Year's Resolutions.

And I don't think you should either.

Why? Well, let's start with the basics. According to Dictionary.com, here is the definition of a resolution:

–noun

1. a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club, or other group. Compare concurrent resolution, joint resolution.
2. a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
3. the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.
4. the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose

Apart from the first definition, the word looks appealing. It looks concrete. But here's the thing: most people don't make resolutions as concrete. They get gym memberships (most places have severe discounts this time of year knowing full well that most people will stop coming after a month or two). They scout out local Whole Foods stores to improve their diets. They get hair cuts, makeovers, and new wardrobes. They buy journals, scour the internet for educational opportunities and they buy tons of books from Amazon. They tweet about it, post their resolutions on blogs and Facebook and share their promises with their closest friends. But by mid-February a vast majority of these resolutions fall by the wayside. Because people don't really understand what resolutions truly are.

So don't make a resolution. Instead, make a plan. It's much better than a "resolution" because there are action steps included. And for extra measure, throw in a level of accountability. Who are you going to check in with while you carry out your plan? Trust me, it works.