WEBVTT - BrainStuff Classics: Why Are Resolutions So Easy to Break?

0:00:01.920 --> 0:00:06.480
<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio. Hey

0:00:06.480 --> 0:00:09.320
<v Speaker 1>brain Stuff, Lauren vogel Baum here with a classic episode

0:00:09.320 --> 0:00:12.920
<v Speaker 1>from our archives. Tis the season to make resolutions for

0:00:12.960 --> 0:00:15.720
<v Speaker 1>the coming year, and although I suspect a lot of

0:00:15.800 --> 0:00:20.119
<v Speaker 1>us are already changing up our self expectations for I

0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:22.800
<v Speaker 1>wanted to run this piece about how to build a

0:00:22.800 --> 0:00:28.280
<v Speaker 1>better resolution. Hey, they're brain Stuff, Lauren vogel bam here.

0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:31.880
<v Speaker 1>Pcent of us who make New Year's resolutions break them

0:00:32.080 --> 0:00:35.879
<v Speaker 1>by the end of January, and beyond that, only of

0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:38.680
<v Speaker 1>everyone who makes a resolution, we'll see it through to completion.

0:00:39.400 --> 0:00:42.840
<v Speaker 1>Are you part of to make resolutions only to find

0:00:42.880 --> 0:00:45.440
<v Speaker 1>you've given up before you ever really got started. Let's

0:00:45.440 --> 0:00:48.440
<v Speaker 1>break down how that happens. One of the most common

0:00:48.479 --> 0:00:50.600
<v Speaker 1>reasons we break our New Year's resolutions is that we

0:00:50.640 --> 0:00:53.480
<v Speaker 1>get a little over zealous when we make them. Basically,

0:00:53.520 --> 0:00:56.920
<v Speaker 1>we overcommit by making too many resolutions, and as a

0:00:56.960 --> 0:01:00.280
<v Speaker 1>result of us wind up blaming our busy schedules for

0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:03.240
<v Speaker 1>our lack of follow through. Research shows that it's easier

0:01:03.240 --> 0:01:06.399
<v Speaker 1>to keep just one resolution than several. Another part of

0:01:06.400 --> 0:01:09.000
<v Speaker 1>the problem is that we often make the wrong resolution,

0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:11.720
<v Speaker 1>or more than one wrong resolution. Is the case may

0:01:11.760 --> 0:01:14.680
<v Speaker 1>be the key to successful goal making is to not

0:01:14.760 --> 0:01:17.560
<v Speaker 1>be hasty when you do it. Make resolutions that you've

0:01:17.560 --> 0:01:19.680
<v Speaker 1>thought through and are willing to dedicate your time and

0:01:19.800 --> 0:01:22.319
<v Speaker 1>energy to. Don't make a resolution on the fly after

0:01:22.480 --> 0:01:24.560
<v Speaker 1>too many toasts at a New Year's party. If you're

0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:27.680
<v Speaker 1>not committed to your goal, the odds of staying motivated

0:01:27.680 --> 0:01:30.360
<v Speaker 1>are not in your favor. But hey, who are we kidding?

0:01:30.400 --> 0:01:32.440
<v Speaker 1>It can be difficult to stay motivated even when you've

0:01:32.480 --> 0:01:35.440
<v Speaker 1>chosen a single, well reasoned goal. Many of us lack

0:01:35.520 --> 0:01:39.600
<v Speaker 1>motivation and accountability despite our best intentions. Remove one easy

0:01:39.600 --> 0:01:41.800
<v Speaker 1>way out by sharing your plans with family and friends.

0:01:42.040 --> 0:01:44.119
<v Speaker 1>The more who know your goal, the less likely you'll

0:01:44.160 --> 0:01:46.399
<v Speaker 1>be to talk yourself out of sticking with your new habits.

0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:48.640
<v Speaker 1>And despite what you might have heard, it can take

0:01:48.680 --> 0:01:50.440
<v Speaker 1>longer than just twenty one days for a lot of

0:01:50.480 --> 0:01:52.480
<v Speaker 1>us to change a habit. One that he found it

0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:55.720
<v Speaker 1>took anywhere between eighteen and two hundred and forty five days.

0:01:56.080 --> 0:01:57.920
<v Speaker 1>Sharing your goals with those close to you not only

0:01:57.960 --> 0:02:00.960
<v Speaker 1>adds accountability, which many of us need to motivate ourselves,

0:02:01.120 --> 0:02:03.600
<v Speaker 1>but also gives you a support system in the end,

0:02:03.680 --> 0:02:05.920
<v Speaker 1>whether or not we keep our new year's resolutions comes

0:02:05.960 --> 0:02:07.960
<v Speaker 1>down to whether or not we give ourselves a resolution.

0:02:08.040 --> 0:02:10.600
<v Speaker 1>We can stick to resolutions that are small in scope

0:02:10.639 --> 0:02:13.720
<v Speaker 1>and involves specific and realistic goals. Help especially for those

0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:16.120
<v Speaker 1>of us who make goals like get in shape, which

0:02:16.160 --> 0:02:19.119
<v Speaker 1>is frequently the most made resolution in America, without then

0:02:19.120 --> 0:02:22.040
<v Speaker 1>planning how we'll go about achieving that goal. We need

0:02:22.080 --> 0:02:25.480
<v Speaker 1>to be more specific and realistic with ourselves, give ourselves deadlines,

0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:29.080
<v Speaker 1>and track our progress. Yes, promising yourself that this is

0:02:29.120 --> 0:02:31.280
<v Speaker 1>the year you'll lose weight is a great goal, but

0:02:31.400 --> 0:02:33.440
<v Speaker 1>how will you do it? More than thirty percent of

0:02:33.480 --> 0:02:36.000
<v Speaker 1>us who make this New year's resolution, break it. If

0:02:36.000 --> 0:02:38.080
<v Speaker 1>you want to stack the odds, define what your specific

0:02:38.160 --> 0:02:40.320
<v Speaker 1>weight loss goals are and give yourself a deadline within

0:02:40.360 --> 0:02:43.280
<v Speaker 1>which to meet those goals. Make the goal reasonable enough

0:02:43.360 --> 0:02:46.840
<v Speaker 1>that you're not intimidated by it, and the deadline realistic too.

0:02:47.040 --> 0:02:49.760
<v Speaker 1>Resolved to lose ten pounds by Memorial Day and keep

0:02:49.800 --> 0:02:52.880
<v Speaker 1>yourself honest with weekly progress reports. If you want to

0:02:52.880 --> 0:02:55.160
<v Speaker 1>get in shape, make it your resolution to, for instance,

0:02:55.200 --> 0:02:57.639
<v Speaker 1>always take the stairs. It's a good start. Keep a

0:02:57.720 --> 0:02:59.840
<v Speaker 1>journal of your progress, the good and the bad, in

0:03:00.000 --> 0:03:02.080
<v Speaker 1>including those days when you took the elevator because you

0:03:02.120 --> 0:03:05.000
<v Speaker 1>were running late. To help keep yourself focused and on task,

0:03:05.400 --> 0:03:08.120
<v Speaker 1>digital tracking devices can help, but only if you actually

0:03:08.200 --> 0:03:10.120
<v Speaker 1>sit down and look at all that data they collect.

0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:13.040
<v Speaker 1>Progress reports are a good way to keep yourself motivated

0:03:13.080 --> 0:03:15.720
<v Speaker 1>and moving in the right direction towards your goal. Without them,

0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:19.040
<v Speaker 1>and sometimes despite them, we can become discouraged. And when

0:03:19.040 --> 0:03:21.040
<v Speaker 1>we're discouraged, we tend to give up on the goal.

0:03:21.480 --> 0:03:23.480
<v Speaker 1>But hey, a bit of good news. Our researchers have

0:03:23.520 --> 0:03:25.440
<v Speaker 1>found that a few days off from time to time

0:03:25.480 --> 0:03:28.880
<v Speaker 1>doesn't have much, if any effect on overall success. Instead

0:03:28.919 --> 0:03:30.600
<v Speaker 1>of giving up on your goal when you have a setback,

0:03:30.919 --> 0:03:33.519
<v Speaker 1>take things one day at a time. Researchers are also

0:03:33.600 --> 0:03:36.600
<v Speaker 1>examining a phenomenon called decision fatigue that plays a part

0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:39.680
<v Speaker 1>in how likely we are to keep resolutions. The more decisions,

0:03:39.720 --> 0:03:41.600
<v Speaker 1>even small ones, that you have to make in a day,

0:03:41.800 --> 0:03:44.480
<v Speaker 1>including deciding to go for a walk or run, selecting

0:03:44.480 --> 0:03:47.000
<v Speaker 1>healthy foods, and putting away cash for a rainy day,

0:03:47.320 --> 0:03:49.840
<v Speaker 1>the more depleted your willpower and self control will be

0:03:49.880 --> 0:03:52.040
<v Speaker 1>as the day wears on. So think about how you

0:03:52.040 --> 0:03:54.120
<v Speaker 1>can incorporate small steps to your goal in your daily

0:03:54.160 --> 0:03:56.400
<v Speaker 1>life so they'll be automatic and require little or no

0:03:56.520 --> 0:03:59.640
<v Speaker 1>decision effort. Making tough decisions related to your resolution early

0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:02.480
<v Speaker 1>in the day, for example, get your workout in earlier

0:04:02.520 --> 0:04:05.080
<v Speaker 1>pay bills and handle finances before you leave work could

0:04:05.080 --> 0:04:14.480
<v Speaker 1>help enshare a successful outcome. Today's episode was written by

0:04:14.520 --> 0:04:17.599
<v Speaker 1>Maria Tria Marchi and produced by Tristan McNeil and Tyler Clang.

0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:20.400
<v Speaker 1>For more on this months of other timely topics, visit

0:04:20.440 --> 0:04:23.520
<v Speaker 1>how Stuff works dot com. If you've celebrated or are

0:04:23.600 --> 0:04:26.159
<v Speaker 1>celebrating a holiday right now, I hope it's a happy one.

0:04:26.960 --> 0:04:29.040
<v Speaker 1>Brain Stuff is a production of my Heart Radio or

0:04:29.080 --> 0:04:31.599
<v Speaker 1>more podcasts. My heart Radio visit the iHeart Radio app,

0:04:31.680 --> 0:04:34.320
<v Speaker 1>Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.