If you were one of the nearly half of all Americans who made a resolution this new year, there’s something you should know: 92 percent of you will break your resolution. Heck, half of you won’t even make it through the first six months. That’s not meant to be discouraging—it’s meant to be real, given with tough love, because we want your 2017 resolutions to succeed where so many others fail! There’s no better time to steer your life, especially if you want to develop your career or look for an entirely new job, as one in five of you wants to do this year. But you have to commit!

Here’s how to set yourself up for resolution-sticking success:

• Live in the present. New Year’s resolutions are based on the future you would like to have. So let’s examine the present. What has helped you achieve your career goals so far? Review your resume, interview skills, and social networking profiles. What kind of results are you getting from each? Is your career development stuck because your resume isn’t landing interviews? Are you getting interviews, but no job offers? Are you interacting regularly with your social media contacts? Are you stuck in an organization where you’ve had no luck advancing?
• Shape the future. So now you have a realistic view of where you are, it’s time to make your resolution—the future you want—come true! If your resume isn’t landing interviews, explore professional help to rewrite it. If your interview skills could use polishing, practice with a friend or mentor, or join a career network. If your social networking profile is collecting cobwebs, research best practices to revamp it. And if you haven’t had success advancing, the answer might be to seek a position somewhere else. Remember to ask trusted advisors for help. Work smart and be persistent!
• Commit to the small steps. Resolutions are made in one night, but they certainly won’t come true overnight! If you feel like you’re working hard to shape your future, but you’re not making progress, break your resolution into quantifiable mini-resolutions. Set a deadline to complete that new resume. Try to land two interviews a month. See if you can make at least one meaningful social media contact each week. Celebrate the small stuff. Stay focused on your results and how each step is bringing you closer to a brighter future.

Your New Year’s resolution doesn’t have to be discarded before year’s end—you can succeed if you stay focused and take steps toward the future you want!