1.It’s not willpower that helps us stick with a New Year’s resolution. People who stay with their resolution to, say, eat healthier or exercise more find satisfaction in the activity itself, behavioral scientists say. They’re motivated by the immediate benefits more than their long-term aspirations for better health.
2.“If it’s not rewarding in the short term, they are unlikely to follow through on them,” said Kaitlin Woolley, a professor at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business who studies the science of motivation. “The best motivator is when people find the immediate experience rewarding.”
3.Pick an activity or behavior you’re already motivated to accomplish. If you want to eat a healthier diet, choose fruits or vegetables you like, rather than trying to convince yourself to eat ones you don’t.
4. BJ Fogg, a behavioral scientist at Stanford University and the author of “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything,” said a new habit doesn’t have to be fun or entertaining, just gratifying. Cleaning your home isn’t necessarily enjoyable, but if a person values tidiness, they can form habits so that they find the time to clean.
5.“What matters is that people feel successful in doing something that matters to them,” Fogg said. “That’s the key. It’s not fun.” Fogg said he has two maxims to lasting change: Help yourself do what you already want to do. And help yourself feel successful.
6.The start of the year provides an opportunity for a fresh start, a psychological phenomenon that can motivate a person to try to change their behavior. Dates on the calendar, such as a new year, new month or even a Monday, or major life events, such as moving to a new city or starting a new job, create windows of opportunity.
7.“It’s just a trick we’re playing on our minds about the way we think about time,” said Katy Milkman, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the author of “How to Change.”
Get specific and plan for obstacles
8.A New Year’s resolution needs a concrete goal you can measure. “I want to get in shape” isn’t precise enough, Milkman said. Set a resolution to run 10 miles or to bench press an amount of weight by a certain date on the calendar.
9.Then, ask yourself: “What do I need to do every day or week to achieve that goal? When and where will I start running or lifting weights?” Create a schedule based on those steps. Also consider the roadblocks, Milkman said. Write a list of potential challenges and ways to overcome likely obstacles.
