1. Accept that you will improve in the area of your goal as much as you possibly can but don't aim for perfection. It doesn't exist. Strive for a faultless route to your goals and you are guaranteed to fail. Let's take weight loss. I've met lots and lots of people who have successfully lost weight but not one of them got there without a few slips and setbacks along the way. You will get there despite falling off the wagon.

2. How many things are you trying to change at once? Habit busting is tough (but far from impossible) so your best course of action is to take a good look at the situation you want to change or bring about and decide what one thing could you start or stop doing that would immediately make the biggest difference. Using our example of weight loss what is the main obstacle hampering your efforts? Is it constant grazing, total lack of exercise, too much alcohol or something else? Whatever it is start with that. Then once you've managed to cut down on the wine or beer, for example, you can then tackle the next habit of failing to exercise (and it is only a habit).

3. Let's say you've decided to cut right down on those alcohol units. What are you going to do instead at the times you would normally reach for the corkscrew or drop into your local? Whatever you do, don't leave a void. You could stock up on juices or alcohol free varieties of your favourite tipple and have these instead or plan to do something completely different at these times. Make sure it's something to look forward to though so you don't begin to see it as some form of punishment!

4. Enjoy the process. Although planning an attempt at weight loss can appear terrifying with the all too common fear of failure you can still make it as painless as you possibly can. If you have decided to embark on a brand new jogging programme and you know from past experience that you hate running then why do you imagine it will be any different this time around? It won't. Choose something else. If it's being outdoors that appeals how about cycling, power walking or the fabulous Nordic Walking (more about that in my next blogpost).

5. Finally it's so important to keep going long enough and often enough to make the new habit just that – your new habit! The definition of a habit is 'A recurrent pattern of behaviour that is acquired through frequent repetition'. Personally, I have found that 21 days is enough to begin to see results but be prepared for your new pattern of desired behaviour to take up to 3 months to really become part of the new you.

Make sure your resolution fits in with all five of these conditions and success won't be far away.

Good luck and Happy New You!