I bet that ever since you were a kid, you’ve heard everyone around you talking about their New Year’s resolutions. Someone wants to go to the gym every day, save money for that overseas holiday, buy a new car or quit smoking. It’s an age old tradition to set a New Year’s resolution. But how effective are they really, and do many people actually see them through?
Let’s take a look at goal setting and how to give yourself the best chance at achieving your goals in the New Year.
Most New Year’s resolutions are personal goals aimed at improving some aspect of life. But studies show that heaps of people find it hard to stick to their resolutions within a few weeks. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology (Norcross et al., 2002) found that only about 46% of people who set New Year’s resolutions actually achieve their goals.
Goals are usually things we want but have difficulty achieving, even when we know they are achievable (Berkman, 2018). That bit is probably obvious – if we didn’t find it hard, we wouldn’t need the goal in the first place!
So then why do we find it so hard to follow through, if a New Year’s resolution is something that we actually want?
Why do resolutions fail?
The high rate of failed New Year’s resolutions is attributable to multiple factors. With most of them, you’ll probably find:
- Goals Are Too Vague: Most resolutions lack specific details. You might have a goal to ‘spend more time with whanau’ or ‘save for a holiday’ – but you have to be able to break your goals down into smaller steps and measure your progress in some way. When your goals are too vague, people tend to lose motivation very fast.
- You Picked Something Unrealistic: An overly ambitious goal sets you up for failure. If you have set yourself a goal to save $10,000 in 6 months without having the means to do so, you are likely to give up before you even really get started.
- There’s No Accountability: People who don’t give themselves a way to keep themselves accountable will find it easier to give up when things get tough. One easy way to stay accountable is to share your resolutions with someone who will hold you to them. This greatly improves your chances of succeeding!
- You Forgot to Plan It Out: Without a plan and specific strategies, your efforts only lead to frustration and a lack of clarity down the track. To reach a goal, it will usually require a change in behaviour. This takes time, and along the way might also involve learning a new skill or knowledge, or removing another kind of barrier. You need to plan for this, too.
How to set effective New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s resolutions can be successful. Here are some tips to increase your chances of success:
- Set Specific Goals: Be as specific as possible with your resolutions. Instead of “I want to exercise more,” try “I will go to the gym three times a week”. If your goal is financial, work out the amount you need and by when.
- Break It Down: Break your resolution into smaller, actionable steps. Goals are less overwhelming this way and feel more achievable. If you plan to save money, break your stretch goal down to suit your pay cycle and make sure you have all of your outgoings covered first. If you need to learn something new, put aside time in your calendar to do this. If your goal is exercise-related and you need to build strength or muscle memory, work out the small steps you will take first.
- Track Progress: Keep a journal, or use an app to monitor your progress. If you can see your progress, it will help you to stay motivated and on track.
- Find Support: Surround yourself with support from loved ones, friends or colleagues by sharing your goals. You could also consider joining a support group, a networking group, or a Facebook group, or even book in to see a professional, like a personal trainer, financial advisor, employment advisor, or even your GP, if your goal is health-related.
- Be Flexible: Life is bound to present unseen challenges. Be kind to yourself. If you need to adjust your plans, practice self-compassion and keep moving forward.
- Be Realistic: Goals need to be relevant to your day to day life and consistent with your values, too. For example, if you value family time and connection, make sure you don’t overcommit so that you don’t have time or resources to spend doing the things that matter most to you.
- Celebrate: Celebrate the wins – small, big and especially the unexpected. This is an important part of training your brain to become accustomed to the new behaviours you need to see to achieve your goals (Bergland, 2021).
So, should we be setting New Year’s Resolutions?
The answer – well, it’s personal. There are so many factors that will determine our chances of achieving our goals, and they’re still not fully understood, even by experts. But the old saying goes ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’. So spend some time understanding what motivates you, what you value and what you want to achieve. Break down the goals into smaller, achievable steps, keep yourself accountable, and, by all means, absolutely, set yourself that New Year’s Resolution.
And remember: a goal without a plan is just a dream.
Moemoeā ngā wawata
Reference:
Norcross, J. C., Mrykalo, M. S., & Blagys, M. D. (2002). Auld lang Syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self‐reported outcomes of New Year’s resolvers and nonresolvers. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(4), 397–405. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.1151
Berkman, E. T. (2018). The neuroscience of goals and behavior change. Consulting Psychology Journal, 70(1), 28–44. https://doi.org/10.1037/cpb0000094
Bergland, C. (2021, July 25). Willfully releasing dopamine into the brain may be within your locus of control. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/nz/blog/the-athletes-way/202107/3-potential-ways-train-the-brain-release-dopamine-demand