Let’s be real here, how many New Year’s resolutions have you made that you have actually followed through with? No matter how good your intentions were or how determined you were when you established them, chances are you gave up on them relatively quickly. In fact, research has shown that nearly 80% of people give up before the end of the year, with 30 per cent giving up within the first two-weeks alone. Ultimately, less than ten per cent actually succeed in achieving their goals. These are rather sombre statistics for sure.
So, does this mean that making New Year’s resolutions is mostly pointless? Not necessarily. The idea itself has good merit, it’s our attitude and approach to the idea that needs to change. But to do so, we first need to understand why we fail in the first place. Here are the four primary reasons why:
Unrealistic Goals
Most people, when making their New Year’s resolutions, choose very arbitrary goals – such as to lose weight, exercise, and eat healthy. At face value, these are admirable goals. However, what is your ultimate target? Without this quantifiable target, your resolutions will remain vague and unrealistic. Furthermore, once you do set a target, is it realistic one, do you have a plan in place to achieve it, and a way to monitor your progress? These are the very first things you need to answer before you decide on a resolution.
Overconfidence
Another mistake people make is being overconfident when setting targets or choosing resolutions. This can leave you very unprepared and ill-equipped to face the task ahead, which will ultimately prove detrimental to your goals. Remember, change, while good, is hard to achieve. This is especially true if you aren’t thoroughly prepared for it.
Not Prepared for What Must Be Given Up
For everything that you add to your life, something has to be given up. But most don’t realise this simple truth. Regardless of if you plan on picking up a new skill or going on a diet, it needs time and dedication. That means something will have to be given up in its place. Sticking to a diet means giving up on your favourite foods or less days out with friends. Sticking to your budget means fewer impulse purchases and sacrificing some of your luxuries. It is these little things that you need to be mentally prepared for.
Not Making it a Habit
A lot of New Year’s resolutions have to do with making new habits or changing existing ones. These habits are automatic, “conditioned” responses that you have grown accustomed to and in most cases it’s not as easy as just stopping them. Doing so often fails. Rather, you need to create a new habit to replace them.
Now that we know what causes us to give up on our resolutions, how can we go about fixing them. The answer is a lot simpler than it seems. First and foremost, do not be overambitions and make sure the goals you select are attainable. Also, research has shown that people are more likely to achieve their resolutions if they bring immediate gratification. As such, it helps to have smaller day-to-day or weekly targets that are easier to monitor and attain. These smaller targets will eventually add up to meet your overarching goal. You could also establish rewards for yourself on attaining certain milestones. Doing so will help keep you motivated.
Whatever your goal may be, you need to also turn it into a habit. The easiest way to do so is to pick your smaller goals and turn them into smaller action. As an example, let’s say your overall goal is to eat healthy and lose a certain about of weight each month and you used to have a burger or another similar snack every day at 4:00pm. Now, replace that burger with some fruit and a handful of nuts instead. In doing so, you are not trying to break the habit, just replacing it with a healthier one, while at the same time working towards achieving your ultimate goal. You can make similar changes throughout different facets of your life replacing previous “bad” habits with newer “good” ones.
Just make sure it’s something easy and attainable, so that you do not eventually fatigue and give up. Also, bad habits sometimes come as a response to people or elements in your immediate environment. Try to figure what these triggers are and avoid them as much as possible.
If you are ever having trouble or feel yourself losing your motivation to continue, just give yourself a break and try and figure out what is causing you problems. Take the necessary steps to fix or adapt that part or habit and continue from there. It also helps to have a friend willing to take up the challenge with you. Mutual support will prove invaluable to the both of you a couple of months in.
We fully understand that these tips are easier said than done and any change can be tough. But why not give it a try. What have you got to lose?