Why do resolutions fail?
The process of making changes is hard. Many of us set New Year’s Resolutions, to only throw in the towel a few weeks or months later. A recent study from the University of Scranton found that 23% of people gave up on a resolution after only 1 week and that only 19% of people actually stuck to their goal for longer than 2 years.
In a 2021 article by Business Insider they highlighted the 5 reasons why resolutions fail. First, reason being people are not actually ready for change when they attempt a resolution. Second, they lack good self monitoring systems. Third, being poor planning in the initial phase of the process. Fourth, people set their goals too high and are usually over confident. Last, many are not realistic with themselves on what they will actually have to give up to reach their goal. To read more in detail about these 5 reasons visit https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-why-most-new-years-resolutions-dont-stick.
What finally changed everything for me?
I spent years on this hamster wheel of setting resolutions to only give up before ever seeing results. What finally changed everything for me? Back in 2019 I went through the Lifebook Program. Lifebook is a transformational lifestyle design system that empowers you to ENVISION, PLAN, and ACHIEVE your very best life (on your own terms). For more information on the Lifebook program visit https://www.mylifebook.com/leaders/lauren-olinger. The second wake up call for me was when I read Atomic Habits by James Clear https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits. James helped me to understand what I had been doing wrong and how to correct my path to create lasting changes.
My Personal Journey
What were some of the key things that James pointed out that worked for me? First, I had to identify my current habits (the good, the neutral and the ugly) Second, I had to identify the “New” habits I wanted to create. Third, I had to create an action plan for these new habits. The BAP or Brief Action Plan included important details as too when, where, with who and for how long. An example of this, was my daily habit of walking. I identified that I would walk Monday thru Friday for 30 minutes after dropping my kids off at school in the park across from the school. Fourth, focusing on the small wins. Say you want to start a habit of running, don’t focus on actually running every day, but set your intentions for the first week on just putting on your running shoes on everyday at the same time. Finally, I had to get honest with myself on what I needed to give up, that I knew was not serving me any anylonger (gluten and dairy). James says it’s these first steps that set the stage for long term results, so make them Easy Wins.
Change Takes Time
One of the hardest things about making changes is that it takes time. Change doesn’t happen over night and sometimes it can take weeks or months before you see any results. This can be very challenging for many people, we are a society built on instant gratification. Success is a decision to be in it for the long game, as any financial investor can tell you. Rewards don’t happen in the short game, but are built in the long game of compounding interest.