Why did my New Year Resolutions not work out?
According to a recent Poll, 44% of us will make a resolution for 2020. Like previous years, we will once again resolve to reduce weight, get organised, save more money, and enjoy life to the fullest.
For real, this time.
But have you ever wondered why new year’s resolutions fail despite your best intentions?
What will I learn in this blog?
- That a new year is a great time to make changes
- Your first plan may not be successful
- That persistence is the key in making changes
- How hypnosis could help you to achieve your goals
How do I make the changes I want?
The ‘New Year, New Me’ pattern is dismally familiar. You promise yourself that “I am going to reduce weight next year.” You eat nutritiously for a few days and start going to the gym. Then, in a moment of weakness, you binge on leftover cake and chocolate-chip cookies, feel bad about your lack of willpower, slip back into old habits and give up.
Now, thanks to advances in brain science and behavioural research on motivation and habits, experts understand these frustrating patterns of our behaviour better than ever before. By putting their insights to work, you can build more willpower and achieve more of your goals over time.
So what does science tell us about goals, motivation and how to stay on track?
First, writing down your goals is critical if you want to accomplish them. Then follow these top tips to
get long-lasting results.
Tip #1: Connect your goals to something personally meaningful to you.
You are more likely to stay on track with goals when they’re important, interesting or enjoyable for you. This happens when you connect your goals to your deepest values and aspirations.
Why is it really important for you to reduce weight? Is it because it improves your feelings of self-worth and gives you energy to do other things; or is it because it allows you to be more active and makes you feel more attractive? Whatever it is, connecting your goals to these personal and emotional benefits are important in achieving them.
Tip #2: Break your goals into smaller milestones
Longer-term goals are not often achieved in one go. You need to break longer term goals into smaller tasks or milestones. Accomplishing these milestones will give you a clear sense of progress, let you celebrate small wins and keep you motivated.
Tip #3: Make your milestones immediate and specific
Remember the motivation you have just before a deadline? Milestones should aim to create a similar sense of urgency in you by making them as immediate and specific as possible.
Getting started is one of the hardest things in accomplishing a goal. Therefore, the most important task to make immediate is the first. “reduce my weight by 2 kilos this week” is good but “Consume 2,000 calories or less today” may be even better.
Tip #4: Let others know about your specific goals
Letting your friends, family or co-workers know about your goals make it more likely that you will succeed. Research shows that this works only when your goals are verifiable. “Write more” is vague but “Write 500 words every week” is verifiable. No one likes to be seen as weak-willed so committing to goals in front of others increases your motivation to achieve them.
Tip #5: Make a “Fresh Start” in case of setbacks
Wharton business school professor Katherine Milkman and her colleagues have done research on the role timing of resolutions plays in building up motivation and overcoming inertia. They have
labeled it the “fresh start effect.”
So go ahead. Make a fresh start and commit to a new year resolution. Make allowances in your mind that failure and setbacks can occur but that you can always start over—and resolve to succeed. If your willpower needs a bit of a boost, make a free initial consultation at The Hypnosis Clinic. We specialise in giving people a head start on their ambitions.
It takes just 2 minutes to find and book an appointment online at www.thehypnosisclinic.com
What did I learn here?
That a new year is a great time to make changes and with persistence and a little determination, you can achieve your goals.
At The Hypnosis Clinic, we offer a free initial consultation about making life changes, either by a Telehealth video link or at our clinic right in the heart of London’s Regent Street.
