1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio. Hey 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: brain Stuff, Lauren vogel Baum here with a classic episode 3 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: from our archives. Tis the season to make resolutions for 4 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: the coming year, and although I suspect a lot of 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: us are already changing up our self expectations for I 6 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: wanted to run this piece about how to build a 7 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: better resolution. Hey, they're brain Stuff, Lauren vogel bam here. 8 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: Pcent of us who make New Year's resolutions break them 9 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 1: by the end of January, and beyond that, only of 10 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: everyone who makes a resolution, we'll see it through to completion. 11 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: Are you part of to make resolutions only to find 12 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: you've given up before you ever really got started. Let's 13 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: break down how that happens. One of the most common 14 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: reasons we break our New Year's resolutions is that we 15 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: get a little over zealous when we make them. Basically, 16 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: we overcommit by making too many resolutions, and as a 17 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: result of us wind up blaming our busy schedules for 18 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: our lack of follow through. Research shows that it's easier 19 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,399 Speaker 1: to keep just one resolution than several. Another part of 20 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: the problem is that we often make the wrong resolution, 21 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: or more than one wrong resolution. Is the case may 22 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: be the key to successful goal making is to not 23 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: be hasty when you do it. Make resolutions that you've 24 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 1: thought through and are willing to dedicate your time and 25 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: energy to. Don't make a resolution on the fly after 26 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: too many toasts at a New Year's party. If you're 27 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 1: not committed to your goal, the odds of staying motivated 28 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: are not in your favor. But hey, who are we kidding? 29 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: It can be difficult to stay motivated even when you've 30 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: chosen a single, well reasoned goal. Many of us lack 31 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: motivation and accountability despite our best intentions. Remove one easy 32 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: way out by sharing your plans with family and friends. 33 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,119 Speaker 1: The more who know your goal, the less likely you'll 34 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: be to talk yourself out of sticking with your new habits. 35 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: And despite what you might have heard, it can take 36 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: longer than just twenty one days for a lot of 37 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: us to change a habit. One that he found it 38 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: took anywhere between eighteen and two hundred and forty five days. 39 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: Sharing your goals with those close to you not only 40 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: adds accountability, which many of us need to motivate ourselves, 41 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: but also gives you a support system in the end, 42 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: whether or not we keep our new year's resolutions comes 43 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: down to whether or not we give ourselves a resolution. 44 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: We can stick to resolutions that are small in scope 45 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: and involves specific and realistic goals. Help especially for those 46 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: of us who make goals like get in shape, which 47 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,119 Speaker 1: is frequently the most made resolution in America, without then 48 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: planning how we'll go about achieving that goal. We need 49 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: to be more specific and realistic with ourselves, give ourselves deadlines, 50 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: and track our progress. Yes, promising yourself that this is 51 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 1: the year you'll lose weight is a great goal, but 52 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: how will you do it? More than thirty percent of 53 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: us who make this New year's resolution, break it. If 54 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: you want to stack the odds, define what your specific 55 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: weight loss goals are and give yourself a deadline within 56 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: which to meet those goals. Make the goal reasonable enough 57 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: that you're not intimidated by it, and the deadline realistic too. 58 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: Resolved to lose ten pounds by Memorial Day and keep 59 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: yourself honest with weekly progress reports. If you want to 60 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: get in shape, make it your resolution to, for instance, 61 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:57,639 Speaker 1: always take the stairs. It's a good start. Keep a 62 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: journal of your progress, the good and the bad, in 63 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 1: including those days when you took the elevator because you 64 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: were running late. To help keep yourself focused and on task, 65 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: digital tracking devices can help, but only if you actually 66 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: sit down and look at all that data they collect. 67 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: Progress reports are a good way to keep yourself motivated 68 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: and moving in the right direction towards your goal. Without them, 69 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: and sometimes despite them, we can become discouraged. And when 70 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: we're discouraged, we tend to give up on the goal. 71 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: But hey, a bit of good news. Our researchers have 72 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: found that a few days off from time to time 73 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: doesn't have much, if any effect on overall success. Instead 74 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: of giving up on your goal when you have a setback, 75 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,519 Speaker 1: take things one day at a time. Researchers are also 76 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: examining a phenomenon called decision fatigue that plays a part 77 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: in how likely we are to keep resolutions. The more decisions, 78 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: even small ones, that you have to make in a day, 79 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: including deciding to go for a walk or run, selecting 80 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: healthy foods, and putting away cash for a rainy day, 81 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: the more depleted your willpower and self control will be 82 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: as the day wears on. So think about how you 83 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: can incorporate small steps to your goal in your daily 84 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: life so they'll be automatic and require little or no 85 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: decision effort. Making tough decisions related to your resolution early 86 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: in the day, for example, get your workout in earlier 87 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: pay bills and handle finances before you leave work could 88 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: help enshare a successful outcome. Today's episode was written by 89 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 1: Maria Tria Marchi and produced by Tristan McNeil and Tyler Clang. 90 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: For more on this months of other timely topics, visit 91 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: how Stuff works dot com. If you've celebrated or are 92 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 1: celebrating a holiday right now, I hope it's a happy one. 93 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 1: Brain Stuff is a production of my Heart Radio or 94 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 1: more podcasts. My heart Radio visit the iHeart Radio app, 95 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.