The New Year has begun! A new start brings new hope, as many believe. The New Year has always been a time for setting resolutions. It is said that the ancient Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s resolutions, about 4,000 years ago. This practice has continued over the years, though the types of resolutions might vary.
During a massive 12-day religious festival known as Akitu, the Babylonians crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the reigning king. They also made promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects they had borrowed. These promises could be considered the forerunners of our New Year’s resolutions. If the Babylonians kept their word, their (pagan) gods would bestow favour on them for the coming year. If not, they would fall out of the gods’ favour—a place no one wanted to be.
It is found that New Year’s Eve acts like a reset button for many to have a fresh start. But why doesn’t the reset seem to be permanent? The new hope and enthusiasm for the goals fade away within 2 to 3 months for the majority. What might be the reason for it? How can we ensure that resolutions and goals don’t fade away, but instead, we reach them?
Come, let’s explore what psychologists say about making successful goals and resolutions.
Resolutions and Goals
Resolutions are typically promises one makes to oneself, often lacking specificity and a concrete plan. On the other hand, goals are more time-bound and specific with a plan.
A writer might have the resolution, “I will write more often to improve my writing skills,” while the goal would be, “I will write 500 words every day for the next 3 months.”
Similarly, a sports person might set a resolution, “I will get in better shape to enhance my performance,” while the goal would be, “I will train for 2 hours every day and run 5 miles at least 3 times a week for the next 6 months.”
Each new year, as we set new resolutions, let’s discuss what works better: resolutions or goals.
It is found that goals are more effective in achieving success than resolutions since they are more specific and planned with a time-bound approach.
But are all goals achievable? What makes goals more achievable? Why do some goals just fade away like resolutions, even though they are more effective?
Effective Goals
Research has found that goals framed as implementation intentions are more likely to be effective. But what is this implementation intention?
An implementation intention is like a plan you make with yourself to do certain things at specific times or in specific situations. It’s like setting an alarm in your mind that says, “When this happens, I’ll do this.”
Let’s compare resolutions, goals, and implementation intentions for an aspiring author and sportsperson:
Author:
Resolution: “I will write more often to improve my writing skills.”
Goal: “I will write 500 words every day for the next 3 months.”
Implementation Intention: “If it is 9 am and I’ve just finished my breakfast, then I will sit down at my desk and write for one hour.”
Sports Person:
Resolution: “I will get in better shape to enhance my performance.”
Goal: “I will train for 2 hours every day and run 5 miles at least 3 times a week for the next 6 months.”
Implementation Intention: “If it is 6 pm and I’ve just come back from work, then I will change into my workout clothes and train for 2 hours at the gym.”
It is found that intentions have a special status in our memory. They are more easily remembered and accessed compared to other types of information. This is because they are specific and linked to cues and are also more accessible in our memory.
It has also been found that implementation intentions in the form of “if-then” statements work much more effectively.
Science Behind Implementation Intentions
Implementation intentions work by leveraging our brain’s associative learning process. When you create an “if-then” plan, your brain starts to associate the “if” part (the situation) with the “then” part (the action). This association is stored in your memory.
So, when the “if” situation happens, your brain automatically triggers the “then” action. It’s like your brain is on autopilot, automatically telling you what to do when the situation happens.
This process is based on the way our brains learn through association. Just like how you might associate the smell of fresh coffee with the start of a new day, your brain can learn to associate specific situations with specific actions.
This is why implementation intentions can help you stick to your goals. They make the action almost automatic, so you’re more likely to do it.
Research by psychologist Peter Gollwitzer and others has shown that implementation intentions can lead to better goal attainment. They found that making an “if-then” plan can help you overcome common problems like forgetting to act or getting distracted.
So, this New Year set your goals in an “if-then” format and watch as they become achievements rather than fading away. Trick your brain to succeed in your goals.
Stay tuned for more such Param Science Blogs.
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