Why New Year’s Resolutions don’t work

It’s the time of year again when we feel ready to make important changes to our lives. We may decide to stop smoking, drink less, get more exercise or go on a diet.  However in about six months these commitments have somehow fallen by the wayside and we continue indulging in the same habits that we did before.

The author Mark Twain described man’s approach to New Year’s resolutions very aptly. "Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink, and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever."

So what can be done to make resolutions last for longer than a few months, and what causes us to lose interest or lack the motivation to stick to our goals?

The first question that we can ask ourselves is what is the driving force or motivating factor that inspires us to lose the weight or quit smoking?  If you don’t have a good enough reason, you won’t have the desire to kick the habit or change your lifestyle.  Your reason for change must be greater than the reason for continuing with the current pattern. 

The second factor is the attitude that we hold towards the goal.  Most of them are made in response to something negative, like a habit or situation that one wants to change or end. And this is where the problem begins. It is hard to become excited about something that is negative. For example, if you want to lose weight, it doesn’t appear encouraging because weight loss requires eating less and cutting out on the foods that you enjoy. 

Those who have succeeded with a weight loss plan have been inspired by a dream much bigger than the weight loss itself. They see themselves as healthy, fit, more energetic and having more confidence.  The same can be applied to those who want to stop smoking. Instead of focusing on the quitting aspect of the habit, it would be better to visualise oneself as being able to taste food again, having clean lungs and feeling good when they wake up in the morning.

A positive attitude also ties in with the reward aspect of the goal, and it may be pertinent to give yourself a reward once you have achieved the desired results. Continue to assess your goals on a regular basis so that you have a clear idea of where you stand, and don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip up now and again.