New Year's resolutions: Yay or Nay?
New Year’s is a great time to make resolutions for positive change in the year ahead—or is it? We asked our scholars to weigh in on whether they like to set New Year’s resolutions and believe they’re an effective way to build successful habits, and the results are in. One replied with an unequivocal “Yes!” A few gave some version of “Yes, with caveats.” And nearly two-thirds answered with a resounding “Nope!”
Good things about New Year’s resolutions
The beginning of a new year is a good time to make goals. They feel like a new start. They give people a reason to reflect on their life and what might need to be changed about it. They can help people adhere to a specific long-term goal.
Arguments against resolutions (There were a lot of these!)
They typically don’t last or create significant change. This is often because people set goals that are unreasonable and unsustainable.
They might work for a couple of weeks, then you burn out and feel disappointed in yourself. As one Scholar noted, this is why fitness gyms make a lot of money in January, then revenue decreases in February when people give up and cancel their memberships!
Some other insightful observations about the pitfalls of resolutions:
Many people jump at the opportunity to make as many resolutions as they can, which overwhelms the mind. Then they have too much to do, so they do nothing.
New Year’s resolutions encourage less fleshed-out goals, with people picking something that they want to accomplish without actually laying out the necessary steps.
Resolutions are a setup for failure if they’re not fueled by whole-hearted passion.
So what does make for successful goal-setting and positive change?
You all shared some great ideas, full of wisdom from your own life experiences..
Making goals that are realistic, achievable, and maintainable.
Starting with smaller goals and building up to larger ones.
Setting goals, both short-term and long-term, throughout the year, with specific actionable steps to achieve them.
Making goals at the start of the school year.
Building successful habits through consistency, day in and day out, even when you don’t feel like it. (Especially when you don’t feel like it!)
Writing down your short-term goals when you’re busy, so you don’t lose sight of them.
Setting up an incentive (like a gaming session or hanging out with a friend) as motivation to get your goal-work done.
Instead of setting yourself up for failure and procrastination, find a simple change you can make today, in the present moment.
One thing’s for sure: Palouse Pathways Scholars know a thing or two about successful goal-setting! And that’s a reason for optimism as we begin a new year together.
(Speaking of together, did anyone mention how helpful it can be to have friends who support you and keep you accountable to your goals? Let’s try to cheer each other on and help bring out the best in each other this year—starting today!)