2024: When Making a New Year Resolution a Daily Habit
Transforming your goals into everyday actions builds the momentum needed in fulfilling your year-round resolutions.
On New Year’s Day, I had some ideas of what I wanted to accomplish. However, when a friend inquired about them, I recognized the need to solidify these abstract thoughts. To hold myself accountable, I wrote down the goals (or rather tasks?) for the day. As the day ended, I took time to reflect on my progress and assess how well I had met these targets. Upon realizing that one goal remained unfulfilled, I immediately set to work on it.
You may wonder what my goals were. They were simple things that gave me a sense of responsibility, accountability, and fulfillment. They included going to the gym, enjoying a delicious meal, publishing my LinkedIn newsletter (which I accomplished at 12:04 AM ET), enrolling in an online course, and three other tasks. I didn’t mind going to the gym and treating me to some satisfying meal, because I wanted to make my goals part of my daily habits. That way, my resolution would become a routine, not a grand feat.
It's that time of the year again when we reflect on the past and look forward to the future. We make promises to ourselves and others about what we want to achieve, change, or improve in the new year. We call them New Year resolutions.
A recent survey found that improving fitness is a top priority for 48% of people in 2024. However, starting a fitness routine at the beginning of the year may not be effective. A study found that many people quit their gym memberships and give up on their fitness goals within the first few months of the year.
Most of us start the year with good intentions, but soon give up on our goals. According to the Forbes Health/One Poll survey, only 1% of people who make resolutions keep them for the entire year. And only 8% stick to them for a month. If very few people really make their goals work, then what makes us quit so easily?
There are several factors that contribute to our tendency to give up easily. One of the main reasons is that we often embark on endeavors without a clear plan or end goal. This lack of vision and direction can demotivate us and lead to us losing track. Another reason is that we depend too much on motivation and willpower, which are not always reliable or consistent.
Unrealistic expectations can also play a role. We often want to be always perfect, but when we inevitably fall short of these expectations, our self-esteem takes a hit, and to protect ourselves, we give up. Our perception of failure and our reliance on external validation can also influence our decision to quit.
A common reason we fail to keep our resolutions is that we set them too vaguely or unrealistically. For example, instead of saying "I want to lose weight" or "I want to be happier", we should specify how much weight we want to lose and how we will measure our happiness. Additionally, we may have too many choices, leading to diffused efforts and undermining the clarity that could lead to our success.
To achieve our New Year resolutions, we need to turn them into habits. Habits are a routine or behavior that we do automatically, without thinking or deciding. Habits are powerful because they shape our actions, thoughts, and feelings. They can also help us overcome the challenges of motivation and willpower, because once a habit is formed, it becomes easier and more natural to do.
Cultivating a habit is about transforming a desired behavior into a regular and automatic action. This process involves setting clear and achievable goals, identifying the triggers and rewards that drive the behavior, and consistently repeating the behavior until it becomes a routine. It's important to have patience, self-discipline, and self-compassion during this process, as there may be challenges and setbacks along the way.
Here are some of the ways we can form the desired habit in 2024:
Start Small: One of the most effective ways to build a new habit is to start with a small and easy action that you can do consistently. For instance, if your goal is to read one book a month, you could begin by reading just one page each day. By simplifying the goal to the point where it’s impossible to refuse, you can overcome initial resistance and establish a habit.
Break It Down: To make it more achievable, it's beneficial to break the goal down into smaller, more manageable tasks. This allows you to focus on one task at a time, track your progress, and celebrate your achievements. Dividing your goal into smaller, daily tasks fosters the environment to turn it into a habit. For example, if your goal is to exercise for 30 minutes a day, you could break it down into three 10-minute sessions in the morning, afternoon, and evening. So, set your goals, break them down, and watch yourself succeed!
Make It Easy: Starting a new habit can seem daunting due to the time and effort it requires. However, the key to successfully establishing a desired habit lies in simplifying the process. This involves removing any obstacles and preparing what we need to be successful in advance. For example, if your goal is to exercise in the morning, one way to make it a habit is by arranging your workout gear the previous night. This strategy not only saves time and streamlines your routine, but it also enhances your commitment to the new habit.
Make It Fun: To make a habit more engaging and fulfilling, infuse it with elements of fun or pleasure. Look for ways to make your routine both fun and rewarding. For instance, if you love music, accompany your workout sessions with your favorite tunes. After successfully completing your goal, treat yourself to something you enjoy, like watching a movie, reading a book, or playing a game. This approach not only makes the habit more appealing but also provides a sense of satisfaction, reinforcing the habit.
Be Consistent: Establishing a habit requires consistency and routine. Choose a specific time and place to perform your habit daily until it becomes second nature. For instance, if your goal for the year is to adopt a healthier diet, you could cultivate a habit by planning your meals in advance and sticking to this schedule. The key to forming a habit is consistency, as it triggers a reminder for you to execute the behavior, ensuring that your habit seamlessly blends into your daily routine.
Make It Visible: Building a habit requires conscious reminder to carry it out. One way to do this is to make the habit more visible. Monitoring your progress and celebrating your achievements can serve as a powerful motivator. For example, you could utilize tools like a calendar, a journal, or an app to document your habit and track your journey. Sharing your accomplishments with your friends, family, or online community can provide a platform for feedback and support.
Transforming a New Year's resolution into a daily habit can be challenging, but it's certainly achievable. It requires time, effort, and patience, but the payoff is rewarding. By following these recommendations, you can make your resolution a reality, setting the stage for 2024 to be your best year ever.