Here's How to Stick to New Years Resolutions • Everyday Cheapskate

So, did you make any New Years’ resolutions? Reportedly, half of us do that. Here we are, only hours into 2022, and how are you doing?

Before you answer, let me promise you that it’s not your fault if you’re struggling or have already fallen off the wagon. It was bound to happen! You’re not a loser and failure does not define you.

More than half of Americans reportedly make New Year’s resolutions. And 88% of those resolutions end in failure, according to a study by British psychologist Richard Wiseman.

The Science

There is a scientific reason for this fail rate that once we understand, we’ll be able to keep our resolutions long enough to make them stick.

The bottom line is that our brains cannot handle New Year’s resolutions. No seriously! It has to do with willpower and our brains’ cells that operate that particular mental function.

The human brain is divided into sections—each handling different aspects of brain function. The pre-frontal cortex (the part located at the front behind your forehead) is assigned the tasks of:

✅ staying focused
✅ handling short-term memory
✅ solving abstract tasks
✅ willpower

The problem with New Years’ resolutions

That part of your brain cannot handle all of those things at the same time. It cannot stay focused while at the same time exerting a great deal of willpower. It requires huge amounts of focus and willpower to change a learned behavior overnight, which is what a New Year’s resolution demands.

Bad habits are hard to break and impossible to break if we try to break them all at once. The focus and willpower required are just too much for the human brain. It simply cannot deliver.

The Anatomy

The human pre-frontal cortex is like a muscle. It has to be trained. If you joined a local gym, you would never dream of starting out lifting a 300-pound barbell on your first session. You’d start with a 2-pound weight for a 2-minute session, working up slowly to heavier weights and longer periods of endurance.

Nope, not gonna’ happen

Trying to keep a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking or lose a bunch of weight, is expecting your pre-frontal cortex to pick up the equivalent of a 300-pound barbell on the first attempt—and to keep doing it for hours on end. It’s just not possible.

Here’s how it goes

Typically, New Year’s resolutions go something like this: I am going to lose 20 pounds; I’m going to get out of debt, stop smoking, get organized, give up sugar, or run two miles a day. Does anything there sound at all familiar? Those are abstract goals your brain cannot handle. They are too vague.

The Secret

Here’s the secret for making your New Year’s resolution stick, according to B.J. Fogg, Ph.D., director of the Persuasive Tech Lab at Stanford University: Make the resolution a habit first. And break it down to a tiny habit to start.

Strong willpower is not a character trait. Accept it. And don’t make the mistake of dumping the idea of making a New Year’s resolution. Just don’t depend on willpower.

Instead, depend on these four steps to make your New Years resolution stick:

The Steps

Step 1: Only one New Years resolution

Your brain cannot handle more than one. Accept it. Analyze everything you’ve thought about changing and pick the one thing that’s most important to you.

Step 2: Take baby steps

Make them tiny, even ridiculously so. A good tiny behavior is easy to do and fast. Think: walk for three minutes, or do two pushups. Floss one tooth. Any of those actions may sound useless, but this is the way to get started.

Your brain will thank you by suggesting in due time that you increase that to a four-minute walk or that you floss two teeth.

Step 3: Become accountable

Write down what you want to change. That makes you more likely to succeed with your new habit, and increases your overall happiness as well. Tell others. Social support is beneficial. So is accountability.

Step 4: Give yourself positive feedback

Or seek that from your accountability group. Reward yourself with things that make you feel great. Positive feedback will increase your success rate and strengthen your desire to keep going by taking on another baby step.

And another and another all the way to permanent and glorious change!

Happy New Year, Everyone!

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Danielle Brock says:

January 4, 2022 at 11:32 am

Thank you, this was a great reminder. Also, “Floss one tooth” was hilarious. Thanks for the laugh and all of the great advise.

Dee says:

January 1, 2022 at 1:46 pm

I agree. Couldn’t have said it better myself! Happy New Year to all!
Let’s pray for peace & an end to corporate greed!

Jenny Sonsalla says:

January 1, 2022 at 12:42 pm

My resolution is the same as every year…never make New Year resolutions, do the best I can and leave everything in God’s hands. What better hands could I be in?

Cally Ross says:
January 3, 2022 at 7:16 am

Love it! thanks for the great reminder!

How to Guarantee You’ll Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution