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It’s a New Year and most people make resolutions. But how long do those resolutions last?
CBS News reports that most resolutions are bound to fail.
A 2023 poll from Forbes Health found most people give up resolutions after less than four months. The survey reveals that just under 1 in 10 people (8%) said their resolutions lasted a month, 21.9% reported two months, 22.2% reported three months and 13.1% said their resolutions lasted four months. Only 1% said they lasted for 11 or 12 months.
While nearly half of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, only about 25% of people actually stay committed to their resolutions after just 30 days, according to Columbia University. Less than 10% accomplish their goals.
Resolutions often fail because people never turn them into habits, said author Justin Hale, an adviser and speaker at leadership and management consulting company Crucial Learning.
He said, “Research shows that 40% of what we do day in and day out are habits. Habits are things without even thinking. You do those things routinely, habitually, almost automatically. The problem is people when they want to be better in the new year, they never focus on understanding what are the exact behaviours that need to be done to turn into habits, and what’s the plan I’m going to create to make that thing habitual.
“It’s really specific and really clear – really measurable. Building new habits in the new year is less about grit and willpower, and it’s more about having the right plan to make that new behaviour habitual.”
Hale said some people also aim for too many resolutions. “People should be realistic with themselves. That’s not to demotivate people or to make people feel bad, but it’s actually to help their motivation. People tend to make longer lists of things they want to change, and they change none of them, and they feel worse about themselves.”
Hale recommends prioritizing goals.
“Where’s the largest gap between where you are and where you want to be? you might pick one from work or one from home, and, if you’re really ambitious, maybe from work and from home, but generally, not more than that.”
Hale recommends three steps to form a successful habit:
1. Identify a cue: This triggers your brain to think about the behaviour you’re aiming for.
2. Create a small, actionable routine: Do this by shrinking the goal or behaviour until you want to.
3. Choose a reward: This is the payoff for completing the action
