Changing Habits for the New Year: How to Conquer Your Resolutions

Time again for the tradition of New Year’s resolutions, for good or bad.  There is a dismal success rate of resolutions, depending on which study you come across – typically in the range of 10-20%.  Is there a better way to make behavior changes?

Changing Behavior

It’s difficult to change behavior.  We are creatures of habit and tend to fall into routines that are well-ingrained in our daily lives.  It’s partly because we, as humans, are wired to adapt to situations in the most efficient way possible and with the least amount of disruption.  Said another way, humans tend to be lazy.

Study after study shows that we adapt our behaviors to avoid unnecessary effort or burden.  While the term “lazy” has negative connotation, it’s likely just a function of our evolutionary drive to survive.  It makes sense that we find the easiest and most efficient way to perform routine activities in order to save our intense effort for more important activities.

So, here we are in January, with all sorts of aspirations to make things better in our lives – health, finances, relationships, etc.  How should we view New Year’s resolutions to get the most out of them?

Identify your “Why”.  Identify the real reason[s] that you want to achieve your goals.  Don’t settle for superficial reasons…those don’t hold much weight and aren’t going to help you get through the tough moments.  You need to spell out what makes you tick.

Example:

Why do you want to lose weight?  I want to improve my health.

Why do you want to improve your health?  I want to live a long time.

Why do you want to live a long time?  I want to be around for my daughters as they grow up.

Why do you want to be around for your daughters?  I want to walk my daughters down the aisle when they get married and be an active part of their lives as they start their own families.

Boom…there it is.  Go big on this one.

Take advantage of a “Fresh Start”.  There is something to say for taking advantage of a new month, a new year, or some other notable reference point (perhaps a birthday).  We like new beginnings.  A new page on the calendar (or a new calendar!) is a symbolic gesture of leaving behind some habits or behaviors that weren’t serving us in the best way in favor of new ones that are more consistent with where we want to be in the future.

 

Define your goal intelligently.  Avoid the big, lofty, ill-defined goals such as “get in shape”, “lose weight”, or “eat healthier”.  What do those even look like in real life?  If I skip breakfast today and go for a 2-hour walk, did I successfully achieve all 3 of those goals?  Probably not what you had in mind.

Make it clear what your stepwise goals are throughout the year – think in terms of short-term victories that will get you closer to your ultimate goals.

Examples:

“Be able to do 15 pushups in a row by February 1” or “Lose 1 pound a week” or “Eliminate added sugar from my diet”

Join a tribe.  Many people thrive with behavior change when they join a community of people with similar goals.  It’s the reason for the popularity of fad diets (Weight Watchers, vegan, keto) and fitness communities (CrossFit, marathon/triathlon, Orange Theory Fitness).  There’s opportunity to see others achieve results, be inspired by others, bond with like-minded people who support you, and feel a sense of accountability.

Design habits that stick right away.  You’ve probably heard that it takes 21 days to form a new habit.  Nonsense.  Habits can be developed instantly, with the right mindset.  The problem is that we rely too much on willpower to change our behavior.  A much better approach is to engineer your environment to make the new habit the new norm.  Tiny habits are one way to do so.

Create accountability.  Having some form of accountability (outside of your own head) is a valuable tool to help you stick to your resolution.  Hire a coach, recruit a friend or family member to check in with you, sign up for a run/walk/fitness event.  Perhaps you post your “Before” pictures on social media.  Some people like putting money on the line, such as writing out a check (big enough to make you cringe) to the absolute worst cause they can think of (think politics) and vowing to send it if they falter with their progress.

Disrupt your routine.  While your eyes are set on big results, employ a series of smaller changes that force you to deviate from your routine.  Wake up early, take a cold shower, explore your town like a tourist, discover a new genre of music, etc.  By expanding your behavior in little ways, you open yourself to other possibilities.  You may even stumble across something you really enjoy.

Enjoy the process.  Take some time to appreciate the progress you make along the way and the things you’re learning about yourself.  Even if you don’t hit your lofty goal, you’re bound to see small victories.  What you learn along the way can benefit you with future resolutions.

Summary

If you’re inclined to do so, make your resolution for the new year.  It may not be an easy process.  There will be challenges.  If you falter and break your resolution, figure out what went wrong and re-focus your efforts on starting again.  No need to wait for 2024.

Start with these tips to jump-start your life by making meaningful changes, no matter how small.