5 Reasons Why New Year’s Resolutions Do Not Work
Making a New Year’s resolution is a big part of American culture, but why is it that it seems so many people never follow through on their goals? This article breaks down five reasons why resolutions just do not work.
Every year on December 31st, we all band together and make some loud and proud declarations and promises to ourselves about resolutions. We make resolutions to lose weight. We make resolutions to stop smoking. We make resolutions to go to the gym. We make resolutions to eat organic.
Everything seems to go fine for a few weeks, maybe a month, but then without fair, come February, everyone has fallen off of their commitment wagon. They brush it off as “Well, I messed up, so I stopped.”
That’s the number one reason why New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work.
1. People Do Not Allow For Mistakes
A mistake does not mean a failure. There are going to be days where you eat poorly. You’re going to skip the gym. You’re going to have a cigarette. This does not mean that you have failed. It simply means that you took one small step back. Have you forgotten how far you’ve come? When you are making your New Year’s Resolution, you have to allow for mistakes. Allow for days where you can “cheat” a little.
2. We Don’t Know How To Do The Resolution We’re Committing To
Think about it: You decide you’re going to lose weight. But do you know how to lose weight? Have you properly educated yourself? Have you made a plan on how you’re going to lose weight? Losing weight isn’t just something that you do, like fill your gas tank. Getting healthy, or losing weight is an entire lifestyle change. If you don’t set yourself up with the tools for success, then you are already writing your failure story.
3. We Are Not Committed Or Dedicated To Our Resolution
Everyone in our circle is making a resolution, so we decide that we should do. We just choose a resolution randomly just to be a part of the group. It has no significant meaning in our lives, so why should we stay on board? When you choose to make a New Year’s Resolution, choose one that has a meaning to you, or don’t choose one at all. The outcome will be the same.
4. We Do Not Set Realistic Goals
If your goal is to go to the gym, how many days do you want to go? If your resolution is to lose weight, how much do you want to lose? If you are getting healthy as your resolution, how will you measure how healthy you are? Study after study shows that setting realistic goals instead of lofty unattainable ones results in more success stories. Think about it, you don’t think “Wow, I need to lose 50 lbs!” and not get discouraged. However if you think “Only 2 more pounds to my next goal!” then it’s more easily achieved.
5. We Do Not Have a Peer Group
The importance of a peer group is profound. People in your peer group have the same goal as you, and on those days when you want to give up, give in, eat that cupcake, they can help you come back down to reality. They offer support when you need it, because making a life change can be very difficult. People who have accountability partners, peer groups, tribes, whatever you would like to call them are more likely to reach their goals than those who attempt to do it alone.