With the start of a new year, many resolutions are bound to be made with good intentions, but promptly broken. This year, instead of searching for a new you, focus on an updated you. Whether you’re pursuing a healthier lifestyle, better grades or an updated personality, don’t lose sight of revising your 2014 when you hit the mid-January blues.

While we claim that resolutions are personal goals, we must admit that resolutions are aimed at changing how other people think of us. These goals have results that we can’t determine, making it hard to control the situation in our favor. Instead of focusing on image, change your motivation toward internal results. If your resolution is to get healthy, set goals of attaining a better lifestyle for yourself instead of focusing on what you’ll look like in a swimsuit this summer.

Along the same lines, set attainable goals. If you resolve to go to the gym eight days per week, you won’t succeed eleven times out of ten. Maybe you already have rock-hard abs or aren’t concerned with fitness. The same advice applies to raising your grades. If you want to achieve a 4.0 GPA, remember that it can’t be done in one day, let alone one semester.

Any great change takes time. Set a schedule you can commit to, and follow it to the end. However, don’t beat yourself up if you can’t make it to the gym one day or you fail one quiz. Results will come with time, and they aren’t determined by your performance on one day. Set your mind on committing to your goal with some flexibility. Once your resolution becomes a routine, it becomes your reality.

Don’t get lost in the big picture. Resolutions aren’t just one-time commitments, but daily choices that you make. Each morning when you wake up, remind yourself of your goal for that day alone, not your end goal. Make sure that you’ve accomplished one thing by the end of the day that has moved you towards your end result. If you’re looking to become friendlier or more likeable, determine to introduce yourself to one new person every day. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to who you want to become.

While you’re pursuing your updated lifestyle, don’t get lost in the resolutions. The keys to having a successful resolution are a good mindset and balance. And don’t forget to have a little fun in 2014. For every serious resolution you make, set a fun one you know you can achieve. Even if you’re not one for New Year’s resolutions, it’s important to set goals for yourself as a part of a fulfilling lifestyle incorporating health, academics and personal achievement.