Heard of the fresh start effect?

Did you ever wonder why it became popular for people to set their new resolutions and goals at the New Year??I mean, what’s so special about January 1st? Technically, we could just as easily set mid-August resolutions, right??

Well…not exactly.?

The reason we start new habits and goals at the beginning of the year is because of a research-proven phenomenon called The Fresh Start Effect.

The Fresh Start Effect shows that people are more effective at meeting their goals when they start on landmark beginning dates, such as the beginning of the year or the first of the month. When starting on a specific “beginning-oriented” date, people are 62.9% more likely to stay on track than if they started on a random Wednesday in April.

We know that sticking with new habits is challenging enough—so why not give yourself some help by starting on a date that will statistically improve your success??And since it’s counterproductive to wait unit next New Year to get into that pilates class--the key is to find new dates in your life to create beginnings.

Here are some ideas for Fresh Start dates:

• Beginning of the year
• Beginning of the month
• Mondays
• Weekends
• Birthday
• Moon calendar
• Solstice
• Quarter years (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)

I personally like to start things on a Monday which means I can access The Fresh Start Effect every 7 days. I highly recommend finding one that happens fairly regularly however whichever date you choose make sure you believe in it as a good starting place because mindset is key to your success.

A Note of Caution

One thing to keep in mind about The Fresh Start Effect is that it works best when you are looking to improve because your current performance isn’t up to par.?If you are already crushing your goals, then giving yourself a fresh start can actually be detrimental! So, if you’re already out there kicking ass and taking names—simply carry on and the stay the course—you’re doing great!

Need some help?

If you’re currently working on setting some new goals, and would like some feedback to see if you’re on the right track—send me a message and let me know what you’re working on (Lauren@AnswerWhatsNext.com). I’d be happy to help make sure that your goals are designed properly for the best outcome. Just let me know!

You got this,

Lauren