Have you already forgetten your New Years resolution?
Did you make a New Year's Resolution this year? Have you broken it yet? If you have, you're certainly not alone.
78% of the people asked in a recent university study failed to stick to their resolutions. Many of the people who failed had followed the standard self-help advice: they focused on the downside of not achieving the goals, suppressed their cravings, fantasized about being successful, and adopted a role model or relied on willpower alone.
On the other hand, people who kept their resolutions tended to have broken their goal into smaller steps and rewarded themselves when they achieved one of these. They also told their friends about their goals, focused on the benefits of success and kept a diary of their progress.
People who planned a series of smaller goals had an average success rate of 35%, while those who followed all five of the above strategies had a 50% chance of success, the study found.
So don't let any temporary setbacks break your resolve this year. Rather than focusing your attention on the ultimate goal, try focusing on the next small steps you need to take to achieve it. And be sure to give yourself a little reward every step of the way.
78% of the people asked in a recent university study failed to stick to their resolutions. Many of the people who failed had followed the standard self-help advice: they focused on the downside of not achieving the goals, suppressed their cravings, fantasized about being successful, and adopted a role model or relied on willpower alone.
On the other hand, people who kept their resolutions tended to have broken their goal into smaller steps and rewarded themselves when they achieved one of these. They also told their friends about their goals, focused on the benefits of success and kept a diary of their progress.
People who planned a series of smaller goals had an average success rate of 35%, while those who followed all five of the above strategies had a 50% chance of success, the study found.
So don't let any temporary setbacks break your resolve this year. Rather than focusing your attention on the ultimate goal, try focusing on the next small steps you need to take to achieve it. And be sure to give yourself a little reward every step of the way.