1. Establishing non-measurable goals

As another year comes to an end, it's common to hear people say things like, "Next year is the year I'm finally going to get healthy" or "I just want to be happy in the New Year." But vague resolutions are set up for failure.

Even if you did make positive changes that helped you grow healthier or feel happier, you likely wouldn't feel like a success.

After all, how do you know if you reached your health goal? Did drinking more water count as success? Did going to the gym mean you "got healthy"?

And how do you know if you "got happier"? If you found a hobby you love, does that mean you succeeded? What if you started drinking after work every day to gain momentary pleasure? Would that count as success even if other areas of your life took a nosedive?

If you want to change your habits (and your life), you have to define what success looks like. Then create measurable goals that involve clear action steps.

"I want to be able to lift 100 pounds" is better than "I want to be healthy." And "I want to see my friends one night a week" is better than "I want to be happy." Identify concrete, behavioral changes you can make.