As the ball drops and we celebrate another year’s passing, it is time to think about the upcoming year. New Year’s Resolutions are a great way to allow yourself to finally adhere to that goal you’ve always wanted to achieve. Time for a fresh start - out with the old, in with the new, as they say. But of the 300 million people living in the United States, how many people actually make a resolution and stick to it throughout the year? Of course it’s easy to say you’re going to stop smoking or hit the gym to drop those pounds gained on the holidays, but how many are fully committed? It’s not as simple as one might think.
According to a study done by the University of Scranton’s Journal of Clinical Psychology, in 2012 only about 45 percent of Americans actually made a resolution. Of that, only 8 percent were actually successful - about 24 million people, or about the population of Texas. Usually people are good about staying on top of their new routine for one to three weeks, but after that, the kindling that started the fire slowly burns out and after six months, almost the entirety of the population has failed in maintaining their resolution(s). So what actually causes the initial spark, so to speak, to die out and seemingly neglect the goals we initially set?
The problem is actually simple: people tend to over-estimate their capabilities and set too high of a goal, thus making it harder to achieve. Forbes magazine suggests making a shorter, more tangible and attainable list.
There is Hope
In addition to keeping it simple, be specific. Write down what it is you want to do and how you want to achieve it. Want to lose weight? Start a diet plan; visit a nutritionist; dig out your old running shoes and write your progress down in a journal for motivation. Set goals, but don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t exactly hit your mark. As long as you’re sticking with it, that’s the point. Keep working at your goal and don’t be tempted by that slice of pie left over from your New Year’s gathering.
