It’s
no secret that many new year’s resolutions fail. Many people chalk this up to
no willpower or laziness. Though these are certainly valid reasons for failure,
let’s look at why some resolutions are doomed before you even begin working on
them!
A
common new year’s resolution is weight loss. The only thing wrong with this
stated resolution is that it is too abstract. There are no specific behaviors
stated and without specific behaviors, it’s nearly impossible for your brain to
focus on it.
Instead,
the key is to make any goal a habit first. And most importantly, make it a tiny
one. Here is a list of examples of how this translates to some of the four most
common new year’s resolutions:
Resolution:
Quit smoking
How
to make it a habit: Only stop smoking that 1 cigarette you have every morning
after breakfast.
Resolution:
Eat healthy food
How
to make it a habit: Start substituting that 1 daily morning pastry for a banana.
Resolution:
Lose weight
How
to make it a habit: Every evening after work, go for a 2-3 minute run or walk
around the block.
Resolution:
Manage stress
How
to make it a habit: Meditate for 2-3 minutes every morning after you wake up.
By
immediately breaking down each resolution and seeing what the smallest habit
could be, your chances of succeeding will be 50% higher than if you leave it
vague. There is nothing more, you make it so easy and simple for
yourself to create that habit, that there is almost no way you can fail with
it.
I
will blog more on helping to make your new year’s resolution stick next week!!
