It's that time of year again for us to make false self-promises that we will fail to adhere to. It isn't only the fact that many of our goals are vague and daunting, but it has to do with the concept that these resolutions tend to lack any sense of deeper value.

For example, "I want to lose weight" and "I want to do better in school" are both popular objectives that people set for themselves each new year, but the meaning behind these goals is often either overlooked or forgotten. Maybe the main reason that we don't succeed in these resolutions has less to do with the idea that they are unachievable and impossible, but instead that we forget why they were of importance to us in the first place.

It is easy to recognize that social media presents us with standards of beauty, and it is just as simple to expect that people in well-respected professions had academic success to some extent. But when setting a resolution to "be more productive," how do you find out what that truly means?

Other than the fact that society dictates that a hard-working individual will achieve economically, people often lack a deeper understanding of why productivity is important. Setting the goal to "be skinnier" or "get fit" also suggests an understanding of the expectations that modern culture organizes for us. Aside from these cultural understandings, many people do not have a deeper moral reason for shaping their behaviors and traits to fit a certain mold.

In order to create the most effective resolutions for 2018, you need to first understand what you value the most. This involves introspection and thoughtful consideration of what you personally find to be most important in your life- family, friends, career, etc.

Then, you need to think about the minor practices that can reinforce these values and concepts that you hold closest to you. One example would be for a student in medical school who challenges himself/herself to work hard. If they approach this goal (despite its ambiguity) with the intent of improving the quality of life of others and treating ailments, this goal of "working hard" will then hold much more relevance.

In the same way, you are more likely to be motivated to exercise if your intent is to treat your body with respect and to ultimately "feel good" as opposed to working out in order to "look good" or "get into shape." These goals themselves might not change a significant amount; however, the value behind them will further motivate you to maintain these new lifestyle changes.

Personally, I find that setting the less specific goals first enables you to gradually improve habits. When understanding what is most important to you, and what you want to work on in terms of personal growth (for example, an improved self-image and confidence, a sense of connectedness to nature, etc), you are more likely to remain consistent in these alterations you make to your lifestyle.

Instead of simply writing out a list to "stop procrastinating" or "run more," you should first consider the bigger picture and how this would benefit your mental health and the quality of your year overall. Unlike the common perception of resolutions, you shouldn't jump to the small shifts in habits, but first reexamine what you value the most.

In this case, the "why" with regards to these new goals will prove much more significant than the "what" since it will motivate and center you as your journey into 2018 begins.