New Year Resolutions – do they really work?
We’ve all made New Year resolutions before. In fact, about half of us make at least one each year. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but:
- By the end of the first week, 25% will break it.
- 3 out of 4 almost never succeed in keeping them.
- Only half will keep them for even six months.
- Only 10% will keep them for the whole year – I hope that’s you.
Why then do we set ourselves up for what seems like imminent failure? Well, I have a theory about this and I think it’s that we often set the bar too high. Things like,”I’m never going to drink again”, “I’m going to give up chocolate forever”. Or we’re not specific enough – “I am going to get fit and join the gym” (guilty – $500+ in 2011 I’m never going to see again…).
Maybe you’ve had even higher hopes like “I’m going to take a year off alcohol, become a vegan, meditate 2 for hours a day, whilst going to the gym five times a week”. Yep I made that one in 2011. I’m pleased to say that I stuck with the no alcohol one. It’s not that we can’t achieve all of these things, but how about starting small, rather than making all or nothing resolutions.
Try making statements about goals that you can measure and are more likely to work; “I’m going to have an alcohol free day once a week, an alcohol free week once a month”. Better yet, an alcohol free month once a year. Have a plan and set goals that matter to you. Decide how much weight you want to lose, how often you want to go to the gym. Start small and work your way up. That way it won’t be so much of a shock to your system. Most importantly, just focus on today.