#newyearnewme #newyearsresolutions #howtosticktoyourresolutions #habitforming #successfultransformation #workwithyourbrain #change
Every January, millions of people set ambitious New Year’s resolutions, vowing to exercise more, eat healthier, save money, or finally tackle that big life goal. Yet, by February, most of these goals are abandoned.
Actually 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February!
If you’ve found yourself in this cycle, it’s not because you lack willpower or discipline. The truth is, most resolutions fail because they aren’t designed with your brain and biology in mind. Let’s explore why this happens and, more importantly, how you can set yourself up for success.
The Science Behind Failed Resolutions
Your Brain Doesn’t Like Change
Your brain is wired to prioritize survival and efficiency. It works through well-established neural pathways that are like deeply worn grooves in a record. These pathways represent your habits and routines, making them easy and automatic to follow. When you set a resolution that demands a significant change - like going from no exercise to working out five days a week, your brain perceives this as a disruption to its established patterns. This triggers resistance in the form of procrastination, self-doubt, or reverting to old habits. The brain’s preference for the familiar is a protective mechanism, conserving energy and avoiding perceived risks associated with change.
Lack of Clear and Achievable Goals
Many resolutions are vague (“I want to get fit”) or overly ambitious (“I’ll lose 20 pounds in a month”). Without a clear, actionable plan, your brain struggles to prioritize these goals, leading to frustration and, in the end, giving up.
The Reward System is Misaligned
Your brain’s reward system thrives on immediate gratification. Long-term goals, like saving for retirement or losing weight, don’t provide instant rewards, making it harder to stay motivated.
Ignoring Your Natural Rhythms
Biological factors, like sleep cycles, hormone fluctuations, and energy levels, play a significant role in behavior change. Resolutions that ignore these rhythms, such as waking up at 5 a.m. when you’re not a morning person, are harder to sustain.
So, you can see that you may just need some tweaking in your goal-setting in order to stick to them. Let’s have a look at how you can do that...
What to Do Instead: Resolutions That Work with Your Brain and Biology
Start Small and Build Momentum
Break your resolution into tiny, manageable steps. Instead of aiming to “exercise daily,” commit to a 10-minute walk three times a week. Small wins signal progress to your brain, building confidence and motivation.
Make It Specific and Measurable
Define your goals in clear terms. Replace “I want to eat healthier” with “I’ll add one serving of vegetables to my dinner each day.” Specificity helps your brain focus on actionable steps.
Pair Rewards with New Habits
Leverage your brain’s love for rewards by pairing a new habit with something enjoyable. For example, listen to your favorite podcast during a workout or treat yourself to a relaxing bath after meeting your daily water intake goal.
Align Goals with Your Natural Rhythms
Work with your body’s natural tendencies. If you’re more energetic in the evening, schedule your workouts then. Understanding your personal rhythms can make new habits feel less forced and more sustainable.
Track Progress and Celebrate Wins
Tracking your progress reinforces positive behavior. Use a journal, app, or habit tracker to record achievements. Celebrate even small milestones to keep your motivation high.
Focus on Identity, Not Just Outcomes
Instead of setting outcome-based goals (“I’ll lose 10 pounds”), focus on becoming the type of person who achieves them (“I’m someone who makes healthy choices”). This mindset shift aligns your actions with your self-image, making it easier to maintain long-term habits.
Let’s take a concrete example on how to apply this to a goal of losing weight and break it into actionable steps:
Start Small with Nutrition: Instead of overhauling your entire diet, start by adding one healthy meal or snack a day. For example, swap your afternoon chips with a handful of nuts and an apple. Gradually increase the number of healthy choices you make each week.
Set Specific Fitness Goals: Rather than aiming to “exercise more,” commit to something tangible, like a 20-minute walk three times a week. Once this becomes routine, build on it by adding strength training or increasing the duration.
Plan for Success: Prepare your environment to support your goals. Stock your kitchen with healthy snacks, plan meals in advance, and lay out workout clothes the night before to remove barriers to action.
Track and Celebrate: Use a journal or app to track your meals and workouts. Celebrate progress, like completing a week of consistent walks or trying a new recipe, to keep your motivation high.
Focus on Identity: Shift your mindset to see yourself as a healthy eater and an active person. This internal identity change can make it easier to stay consistent because your actions align with who you believe you are.
By breaking the goal into manageable steps and aligning actions with your brain’s natural tendencies, you’re far more likely to achieve lasting success.
Remember, transformation is a journey, not a sprint. Progress, not perfection, is the key to success.
Still feeling overwhelmed? This is exactly what I do for my clients: I discuss their goals and give them homework with specific tasks to achieve until the next meeting to help them achieve those goals. Sometimes it’s about finding the right motivator or reminder and sometimes we need to dig a bit deeper into the mental baggage to see if there are any past belief patterns or stocked up emotions that we need to release in order to get them to stick to these goals. If you want my help, please book a free clarity call here, so that we can discuss your goals and how we could achieve them.
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