Updated June 08, 2015.

If you find it hard to keep your resolutions, now is the time to reexamine what you're doing. Rather than chalking it up to another failure and sliding back into old habits, get back on track right away.

1. Adjust your goals. Grab a piece of paper and write down your original goal. Does it meet the criteria listed above (specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable and trackable)? What could you do to make your goal achievable right now? Perhaps breaking it down into daily or weekly goals would make it more manageable.

1. Reexamine your original plan. On the same piece of paper, write down your original plan to meet your goal (If you didn't have one, this step is easy--you'll need to make one). Now, look at your plan and ask yourself where you went wrong. Be honest and objective. Was it too hard? Too time-consuming? Too boring? Too much for your mind/body to handle? Ask yourself what you will stick to. You may feel guilty lowering your standards but think of it this way: If you skip your workouts because they're too overwhelming, you're guaranteed to fail. If you start with something you can handle, you can build on that as you get stronger and more accustomed to exercising.
2. Stop kicking yourself. Shame and guilt are powerful emotions that can sabotage us in the worst ways. In fact, we often treat ourselves worse than we'd ever treat anyone else. If you tend to spiral into guilt after failing, imagine what you would say to a friend in your situation. You wouldn't call him a loser, would you? More likely, you'd be encouraging and supportive, helping him or her come up with some solutions to the problem. Treat yourself with the same respect, realizing that failure is always part of success and can even make success that much sweeter.

1. Get some help. There's nothing like a workout buddy to motivate you. Most people have trouble reaching their goals without some help--either from friends, family or support groups. If you've been going it alone, is there someone you can reach out to for help and support? A spouse, a sibling or a friend? What about co-workers? It's always easier to show up for workouts when someone's waiting for you. Or you can go the professional route and hire a personal trainer.
2. Think small. Losing weight is more about the small choices you make. Every time you complete a workout or choose a glass of water over a can of Coke, you're reaching your weight loss goal. All of those small, daily choices are what determine your success so keeping your focus on what you'll do today is what matters. All you have is now--yesterday already happened and tomorrow isn't here yet. It's what you do in this moment that will take you where you want to go.
3. Lighten up. Whether you lose weight or not, time will pass and life will go on. Ask yourself how you want to spend your time. Do you want to enjoy yourself and do the best you can? If so, give yourself some wiggle room with this exercise thing. None of us are perfect when trying something new and failing isn't the end of the world. Ease up on yourself and you may find you accomplish more than you ever did by kicking yourself.

The key to success is not in being perfect. In fact, success is often found in our failures, but only if we allow them to teach us something. Quitting exercise can tell you a world of information about yourself--what you like and what you don't like, how hard you're really willing and able to work and whether the goals you set are truly your goals or goals you think you should have (because everyone else has them). The other key to success? Never giving up.