Have you ever tried and failed to make a new habit stick? Maybe it was a weight loss goal or simply a new morning routine. If you’re human, chances are you know that it can take considerable time, energy, and patience for new habits to take shape.

You may have heard that it takes “30 days to create a new habit.” Yet research on habit formation shows that there’s actually no hard and fast rule. How long it takes to stick and make its impact can depend on many factors unique to you. For some, that timeframe may involve a few weeks, and for others, integrating a new habit can even take up to a year. While there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to timeframe, there are certain conditions that you can leverage to set yourself up for success throughout the process.

Keeping promises to yourself in your daily life is often overlooked, yet it is key to getting the results you want. Here are some practical ways to make the most out of your New Year’s resolution:

1. Shift your relationship to motivation

Most people believe that they need to feel like doing something before they can actually take action, when, in fact, waiting on a spark of motivation might not be reliable. A point that’s often overlooked is how action fuels motivation. When left to our own devices, moods, weather, or other variables can seriously impact our desire or willingness to engage in any number of activities. Simply starting, on the other hand, helps build forward momentum and the beginnings of a sustainable routine.

Oftentimes, action can be a powerful motivator and force for keeping us engaged in desirable activities, because, within a short period of time, it starts to feel bad not to engage in our chosen habit. In fact, this is a key principle in behavioral activation, a well-researched cognitive behavioral intervention. Clinical studies comparing antidepressants with behavioral activation demonstrated that behavioral activation was just as effective as, if not more effective than, antidepressants. Remembering that motivation usually follows action (and not the other way around) can help you stop overanalyzing your feelings and start moving without needing to feel ready first.

2. Start small and smart

Have you ever set an admirable goal for yourself only to feel defeated by the pressure of it before you even started? This is a sign that your goal may be too intense, and that’s perfectly OK. An important part of building lasting, sustainable habits is knowing how to meet yourself exactly where you are. If you’re currently not exercising, setting your sights on gym workouts five days a week may be too ambitious. Break it down into the smallest possible steps that you know you can stick with, and let the momentum take things from there. For now, that may simply mean lacing up your sneakers and making a point to get outside for a walk around the block. I encourage clients who feel stuck to set SMART goals (which stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) as a simple starting point.

3. Build self-trust as your foundation

Breaking tasks down into their most accessible, easy entry points allows you to build trust in yourself each time you follow through. This is the core of self-efficacy, or the belief in one’s abilities, which is created through repeated, achievable successes. When goals are too nebulous or out of reach, you may be more likely to engage in “all-or-nothing” thinking, which can lead to feeling discouraged and abandoning starting before you even try. Over time, this negative loop can be self-reinforcing because we lose confidence in our own ability to keep promises to ourselves. Thoughts take over like “Why even try?” or “What’s the point?” In my experience working with people who want to transform their habits or behaviors, keeping the promises they make to themselves is critical to sustainable change. For this reason, it’s important to identify the smallest possible task you can follow through on and stay consistent.

4. Focus on self-compassion over perfection

Many people have a strong inner critic, a critical voice, or part of themselves that gets loud whenever achievement or productivity is involved. Raising your awareness to this harsh inner monologue and being more gentle with yourself will take you farther than criticism alone. Imagine you’re running a marathon, and you have a friend on the sidelines berating you and another cheering you on. Which voice is more likely to help you stay the course? One study examining self-improvement showed that increasing self-compassion makes it more likely that you’ll sustain motivation over the long term.

A new year calls for a new strategy

Lasting change rarely comes from willpower or a harsh inner coach (even one that seems to have good intentions). In my experience, sustainable habits are built through small but consistent actions, letting go of perfectionism, and developing a kinder relationship with yourself in the process. When you stop waiting to feel motivated and look at what’s actionable right now, change becomes less overwhelming and more sustainable in the long run.

If you’re considering change this year, no matter how small or imperfect, I’m cheering you on.