Discover how to beat the odds and maintain your New Year's resolutions with proven strategies and insights.
Staying Committed to New Year's Resolutions: A Closer Look at the Challenges
The research suggests that most won't keep their resolution. As each week passes, the dropout number accelerates. By the middle of the year, citing a lack of time, waning motivation, and setting a goal that is too ambitious, only 8-10% of people have kept their resolution.
The Role of Self-Discipline in Achieving Resolutions
I would argue that most who commit to making some change fail because they lack self-discipline, as motivation is unreliable. No one truly lacks time. They may have a lack of priorities, a problem saying "no," or are easily distracted. Pursuing more than one significant change at a time may also cause you to fail at both resolutions.
Rethinking the Timing of Commitments
If 92% of people making resolutions fail, you may be better off committing to change on some other day to avoid their fate. If you really want to make a change, the best strategy may be putting it on your calendar and building a system.
Leveraging Systems and Tools for Consistency
Jerry Seinfeld has a monthly calendar he uses to keep his practice of writing content daily, drawing a red X to mark that he did the work. Alternatively, you may want to use a habit tracker, focusing on one habit before tackling another.
Embracing Opportunities for Renewal and Change
I believe the Universe is designed in such a way that we are constantly provided a do-over. When one day ends, you are granted another day to try again. You are also granted a chance to do something different at the start of a new week, month, quarter, and for our purposes today, a new year.
Learning from the Wise: Christopher Hitchens' Perspective
One of my favorite writers, Christopher Hitchens, who died of esophageal cancer in 2011, wrote about his impending death in Vanity Fair, suggesting one should choose their regrets carefully. Maybe make your resolution something with the power to prevent a future regret, like focusing on an important relationship or some other change you haven't embarked on yet. Maybe this is your year to make this change.
The Paradox of Time in Achieving Goals
We believe we never have enough time, while also believing we don't have enough time. You have 8,760 hours to accomplish whatever you want to do in 2024.
See you in 2024!
