The secrets of new year resolutions that stick
Gave up on your new year resolutions yet? If so, you're in good company - about 92% of people fail to keep their New Year's resolutions. The intentions may be great, but the problem is how we're going about trying to make those changes. We mostly rely on sheer willpower and inevitably feel guilty when things don’t go as planned.
But there’s a good news: scientific studies have revealed the surest way to build new habits and change our behaviors. And it’s really quite simple. The key is to start small, with action steps that are “too-small-to-fail”. The saying goes that we overestimate what we can do in a day, but we also underestimate what we can achieve in a year. Making very small changes in a clear direction is what can lead us to a beautiful destination over time.
There are a few things you can do to maximize your chances of success. One is to connect your resolutions to a deeper purpose - why you’re choosing to do this - so that you whenever obstacles stand in your way and you’re tempted to abandon your goal, you can remind yourself why it’s important for you. Sharing your goals and progress with your friends and family can also help motivate you to stick to your resolutions.
It’s very important to be specific. Like instead of deciding to “eat a healthier diet” which is vague and hence unlikely to happen, you’d better decide to “drink one more glass of water each day” or “add a serving of vegetables to one of your meals each day”, decisions which have a much greater chance of success. And be prepared for situations that might trigger a bad habit by planning how you’ll counteract that trigger.
Don’t just resolve to do certains things, but make a commitment to be who you want to be. Resolutions that are rooted in identity increase your motivation. For example, instead of deciding “not to be late anymore”, you could start defining yourself as “someone who always arrives on time”. And don’t neglect your environnement, as what you surround yourself with can have a major impact on whether or not you’re able to stick to your resolutions.
Finally, make your plan realistic and write it down. Start with the smallest, simplest goals, and then move up to bigger ones. The more you succeed, the more capable you’ll get at succeeding in the future. All these small steps will add up and soon you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come. So, what’s the easiest thing you can start doing today?
If you enjoyed reading this article, please share it with your friends and networks using the little icons below.
