New Year’s Resolutions - The Ultimate Personal Change Mechanism
Every year around this time we as humans have this ritual of setting New Year’s Resolutions. It’s like a system we have set in place where everyone around us asks how we are going to change in our lives this year. It is reported by many fitness institutions that the resolution crowd joins the fitness crazy every January with barely 1% sticking to their original resolution.
Why is it so hard for us to change our patterns? Why when we have the best intentions of betterment do we fail? There is a very good reason for the possibility failure to be closely linked with our new resolution for change. When we look at any change whether personal or corporate we must first look at the smallest common denominator – in either case we need to look at how we process information or how our brains work.
When we challenge ourselves with a resolution we are not only asking ourselves to develop a new habit but also to stop indulging in another well established habit we have developed against the very resolution we are trying to start.
Our brains like to create automatic processes. Every time we perform an activity we create a neural connection. The more times we repeat or practice the activity the greater number of neural connections we create in our brain. When we first learn a task like driving a car, we have to pay attention to many different inputs such as looking at three mirrors, shoulder checks, peddle usage, etc. This information is stored in our short term-memory. As this task is practiced it transfers into our long-term memory and becomes an automatic process where we can insert the keys into the ignition and not remember the drive to work.
It is said by some brain researchers it takes 21 days in a row of performing a task before that task becomes habit. Likewise, it takes 21 days in a row of not performing a task to break a habit. For example: if I want to stop biting my nails I need to not bite my nails for 21 days in a row. If I breakdown and bite my nails on the 12th day then I need to start my count to 21 from the beginning. Many times a habit we want to break may persist beyond the 21 days it takes to break it. This is a result of the foundation created by the habit. With my nail-biting habit, if I’ve been biting my nails for 10 years, I’ve developed 10 years of connections in my brain. It will take me 21 days to break the habit but an additional 10 years in which I am at risk of re-establishing that habit with only a couple instances of biting my nails.
If you fail in your attempts to fulfill your new year’s habit – don’t despair – get right back on that horse and start counting your 21 days. Know that change is difficult and may require a couple attempts – it is tenacity that will help build that good habit you are working on. Here are some additional tips to help you succeed:
• Create a crystal clear picture of your target goal (how you feel when you achieve it, how it smells, tastes, etc.) to ensure that you develop your own sense of urgency to create the change you desire. This will help you with your commitment to your goal.
• Create a cheering team or a group that you report your progress to – they might even agree to be your resolution partner.
• Brainstorm fun and creative ways you can incorporate your resolution into your life for at least the next 21 days. The more creative you can be the easier it will be you to incorporate it and the more you’ll look forward to achieving your goal.
• Map out milestones and rewards for meeting those milestones (Make sure your milestones are clear e.g. loose 5 pounds by the end of month 1) and share these with your cheering team.
• Make sure every milestone is celebrated.
• If you do not meet your targets, figure out what has prevented you from reaching those goals. Analyze and chart your results (expectations vs. actual outcomes, times performed task etc.) Make these large, visual and hang them in a public place where others can see your progress too.
For myself, for this year, my habit or resolution I am taking on is blogging every single day starting with this blog entry. I have created the habit of writing in my life but not exposing my writing to others – or publishing my writing to the open public. I encourage you to make your resolutions as public as possible to have as many pulls as you can to achieve your goals.
In this blog I hope you will find useful insights and articles. Further, I would be delighted to hear your comments or feedback.
Tracy Slotin, MBA
CEO & Grand Sandmaster
The Executive Sandbox® Change Consultants
© Copyright The Executive Sandbox ® Inc., 2006
Why is it so hard for us to change our patterns? Why when we have the best intentions of betterment do we fail? There is a very good reason for the possibility failure to be closely linked with our new resolution for change. When we look at any change whether personal or corporate we must first look at the smallest common denominator – in either case we need to look at how we process information or how our brains work.
When we challenge ourselves with a resolution we are not only asking ourselves to develop a new habit but also to stop indulging in another well established habit we have developed against the very resolution we are trying to start.
Our brains like to create automatic processes. Every time we perform an activity we create a neural connection. The more times we repeat or practice the activity the greater number of neural connections we create in our brain. When we first learn a task like driving a car, we have to pay attention to many different inputs such as looking at three mirrors, shoulder checks, peddle usage, etc. This information is stored in our short term-memory. As this task is practiced it transfers into our long-term memory and becomes an automatic process where we can insert the keys into the ignition and not remember the drive to work.
It is said by some brain researchers it takes 21 days in a row of performing a task before that task becomes habit. Likewise, it takes 21 days in a row of not performing a task to break a habit. For example: if I want to stop biting my nails I need to not bite my nails for 21 days in a row. If I breakdown and bite my nails on the 12th day then I need to start my count to 21 from the beginning. Many times a habit we want to break may persist beyond the 21 days it takes to break it. This is a result of the foundation created by the habit. With my nail-biting habit, if I’ve been biting my nails for 10 years, I’ve developed 10 years of connections in my brain. It will take me 21 days to break the habit but an additional 10 years in which I am at risk of re-establishing that habit with only a couple instances of biting my nails.
If you fail in your attempts to fulfill your new year’s habit – don’t despair – get right back on that horse and start counting your 21 days. Know that change is difficult and may require a couple attempts – it is tenacity that will help build that good habit you are working on. Here are some additional tips to help you succeed:
• Create a crystal clear picture of your target goal (how you feel when you achieve it, how it smells, tastes, etc.) to ensure that you develop your own sense of urgency to create the change you desire. This will help you with your commitment to your goal.
• Create a cheering team or a group that you report your progress to – they might even agree to be your resolution partner.
• Brainstorm fun and creative ways you can incorporate your resolution into your life for at least the next 21 days. The more creative you can be the easier it will be you to incorporate it and the more you’ll look forward to achieving your goal.
• Map out milestones and rewards for meeting those milestones (Make sure your milestones are clear e.g. loose 5 pounds by the end of month 1) and share these with your cheering team.
• Make sure every milestone is celebrated.
• If you do not meet your targets, figure out what has prevented you from reaching those goals. Analyze and chart your results (expectations vs. actual outcomes, times performed task etc.) Make these large, visual and hang them in a public place where others can see your progress too.
For myself, for this year, my habit or resolution I am taking on is blogging every single day starting with this blog entry. I have created the habit of writing in my life but not exposing my writing to others – or publishing my writing to the open public. I encourage you to make your resolutions as public as possible to have as many pulls as you can to achieve your goals.
In this blog I hope you will find useful insights and articles. Further, I would be delighted to hear your comments or feedback.
Tracy Slotin, MBA
CEO & Grand Sandmaster
The Executive Sandbox® Change Consultants
© Copyright The Executive Sandbox ® Inc., 2006
Labels: Personal Change
posted by Tracy Slotin at 10:23 PM
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