New Year's Eve is just around the corner and the only way to start off the New Year is to make a Resolution List. Come up with some goals that should (in theory) last for 365 days. All of 2016, you will follow that diet you found on Google, you will read that list of books, you will exercise everyday, etc.

The best way to start off a year is with some unrealistic optimism that you will indeed make 2016 the best year ever, and redeem 2015 at the same time. You gained 15 pounds in 2015 so naturally it is realistic you will lose 30 pounds in 2016.

Unfortunately, I may come across as a bit of a pessimist when I say New Years Resolutions are unrealistic, but we’ve all been victims of the list. We get our hopes up and start out with 100% commitment for the month of January. In February, your daily goal becomes every other day. In March, it becomes once a week. In April, it is completely gone. Five months later, in the middle of September, you are consumed with regret because you remember your old resolution.

Now…why put yourself through all that? Set some more realistic standards for yourself going into the New Year. Goals that will better you as a person, but won’t set your hopes so high that you get discouraged.

Get Straight A’s! And maybe a B, or even a C.

Make some extra money by investing in the stock market, or charging your friends to do your homework.

Exercise everyday! Or at least once a week, and watch some crossfit videos on YouTube the other six days.

Sleep more and get to bed by 9 p.m., or at least by 11:30 p.m.

Watch all four seasons of "Once Upon A Time," all nine seasons of "How I Met Your Mother," all three seasons of "House of Cards"…realistic.

Go to church every Sunday, or at least once a month.

Do something nice for someone once a week.

Those should get your mind flowing on a more realistic track for your New Years Resolution list. Lists that will you push you to take baby steps in creating or changing habits. You don’t need go from working out every three months to working out everyday. Start with a couple times a week, and work your way up. This will only keep you motivated because you are setting realistic goals for yourself.

So as the clock clicks down toward January 1, I recommend making a list, but modifying to fit your personal realism.