How New Year's Resolutions Undermine Our Objectives and Goals

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How New Year's Resolutions Undermine Our Objectives and Goals

?Every year, millions of Americans set New Year's resolutions for themselves. ?These resolutions are well intended, yet most people stop working on the resolutions within the first few weeks of the new year.

?There are many theories and studies as to why this happens, and some people say that it is just human nature or that we just become busy. ?Is there a deeper root cause?

?Fundamentally, the fact that we are setting New Year's resolutions is by default setting us up for failure. ?This is akin to trying to quit a bad habit. ?By default, we are setting ourselves up for failure. ?Although there is psychology behind this, there is also an influence by the mere grammar and linguistics that we use.

?For instance, if we are trying to quit a bad habit, then we are telling ourselves that it is okay not to actually quit. ?After all, our goal clearly states that we are trying to quit, and not that we are actually quitting.

?A better way to look at ending a bad habit, may be to simply state that, for instance, “I quit smoking”. ?I did not try to quit, I did not try to resolve to quit, I actually quit. ?We can talk about how the actual act of quitting is far different than the act of trying to quit. ?Again, trying sets us up for failure. ?Quitting leaves no room for trying to quit. ?Quitting is final. ?“I quit smoking”.

?Taking it a step further, it is important to understand that “I quit smoking” does not just mean that I, in my present existence, stopped smoking. ?What it should mean, for maximum results, is that this is a truly past tense event. ?“I (in my past) quit this habit. ?It is not a verb that is current, it is a verb that is in the past.

?Similarly, making New Year's resolutions in and of itself is our downfall. ?On the surface, we may think that making resolutions indicates that we have actually resolved to do something, or to stop doing something. ?However, when we resolve something, we are re-solving it. Again, this indicates that we have had the problem in the past, and that we solved it, and that now we have the problem again, and that we are going to solve it again. ?This sets us up for the doom of possibility (planting the seed to fruit likelihood) that the problem will rear its ugly head again.

?Rather than re-solving an old problem that has occurred in the past, is occurring now, and will occur in the future, we may want to look at it as a solution. ?“I have solved a problem”, “I (already, in the past) quit smoking”. ?As opposed to “I resolved it”, as in “I'll let it become a problem again, and then solve it again, as in “re- solve”.

?So, when making New Year's resolutions, if we really want them to work to our benefit, maybe we should simply indicate that “my solutions for the coming year include the following list … .” ?Additionally, we should not necessarily seek to solve these problems, we should simply state them as solutions that we have already performed.?It is a done deal.?I already stopped smoking.

?To complicate our ineffectiveness of New Years Solutions, our human mind, and perhaps brain, is wired to fear the loss of what we have more than the loss of what we may potentially have.?In other words, “a bird in hand is better than two in a bush”.

?Turn this into a win.?Being aware of this fact enables us to do something about it.?For instance, rather than something, we may replace something with a new (better) habit.?Rather than “I quit eating sweets after 5:00p.m”, we may replace that habit with “I satisfy my cravings at night with fruits and nuts”.

?Replacing a habit is far likely to be more successful than merely eliminating a habit.

?To create a habit, tie a new habit to an old habit.?

?As an example, you may want to begin a habit of aquaflossing your teeth at least once a day.?Tying that habit to one that already exists, such as brushing your teeth or having a morning cup-o-jo, will likely make it easier to create that new aqua-floss habit.?

Similarly, if you want to add a quick jog to your habit list, you may decide to attach that habit to an existing one, such as getting the mail. ?So, every time you fetch the mail, you take a walk around the block.?Or, after every workout, you may want to add the habit of jogging for five minutes on the treadmill.

Conclusion:

·??????It is better to make a decision, precisely and decisively, than to quaintly and faintly think about considering potentially deciding to dream about contemplating trying.

• It is better to solve than to re-solve.
• It is better to replace a bad habit with a good habit than to simply vanquish an old bad habit.
• Plant-grown fruits and nuts are better than added pure cane (or any other kind of added) sugar.

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?Disclaimer:

This entire article is to be taken solely for its possible entertainment value. Nothing herein acts as advice.

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Suggested Resources:

·??????5 Habits to Create Massive Results in 2023, by Doctor Benjamin P. Hardy

·??????Atomic Habits, by James Clear

·??????Eat That Frog, by Brian Tracy

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Copyright ?Vincent E. Martinelli, Jr., 2023