How Can We Make New Year's Resolutions More Sustainable and Achievable?
Research shows that new year resolutions start with going to the gym and then continue with better income, better mental health and weight loss. Studies also show that approach-oriented goals that focus on what you aim to achieve, such as "Go to the fitness 3 days a week" or "Start the hobby course you want this year", are more effective and results in greater success than more preventive goals such as "Don't consume sugar" or "Quit smoking". Therefore, setting new year goals as more approach-oriented goals will be effective in making the goals more attainable and sustainable.
So how can this approach make the goals more achievable and sustainable?
1- Choosing your goals as ones that truly motivate and excite you will contribute to the sustainability of your goal. The desires that motivate a person about life make it easier to stick to the goal because they are fed by the person's dreams.
2- Specificating the goals is also an important part. For example, if a person who wants to be successful sets more specific and clear goals such as "I want to move to a higher position in the company this year" or "I want to get A grade in X exam" rather than saying "I aim to be successful", this will make the goal more attainable. More confident steps can be taken to achieve the goal and planning on the way to the goal can become easier.
3- Setting realistic and attainable goals is the most important part of this job, a goal set with this manner ensures that the person maintains his motivation. It might be better for a person who has never gone to the gym to start with a goal like "I will go to the gym 2-3 days a week this year" rather than setting a goal like "I will go to the gym 6 days a week". Making goals more attainable and realistic will not make the goal bigger and more difficult to achieve in the person's perspective, and it can lead to big results by taking small steps.
Setting goals appears as a positive action for a person's personal development and self-actualization, but sometimes a person can create great pressure on himself when it comes to goals. This can sabotage both goals and one's sense of self. Just because you're making a decision or setting a goal doesn't mean you have to stick to that goal forever. Even if the person is at a right time and conditions in his life when that decision is made, conditions may change in the future. Therefore, in such a situation, it is important to treat oneself with compassion and understanding rather than putting pressure on oneself regarding one's goals.
REFERENCES:
Oscarsson M, Carlbring P, Andersson G, Rozental A (2020) A large-scale experiment on New Year’s resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PLoS ONE 15(12): e0234097.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234097
Dickson, J. M., Moberly, N. J., Preece, D., Dodd, A., & Huntley, C. D. (2021). Self-Regulatory Goal Motivational Processes in Sustained New Year Resolution Pursuit and Mental Wellbeing.
International journal of environmental research and public health,
18(6), 3084.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063084
