Happy New Year!
Let me ask you something. Have you made any New Year’s resolutions?
92% of New Year’s resolutions fail
It probably will not surprise you to know that a whopping 25% of people who make New Year’s resolutions fail on upholding their resolution between the first of January and the seventh of January. Another 67% of people give up on their resolution or fail at upholding it between the eighth of January and the 31st of December.
That leaves only 8% of people who succeed at upholding their New Year’s resolutions right throughout the year.
Okay, that’s a little bit depressing. But I’m here to tell you the good news.
Two words to help you keep your resolutions
The good news is that one simple trick can greatly increase your likelihood of upholding your New Year’s resolutions. Just by telling yourself two simple words, you become three times as likely to succeed at keeping your resolutions.
The words are, simply: “I don’t”.
So for example, let’s say your New Year’s resolution was to go to the gym twice a week. Next time you feel tempted to skip the gym, tell yourself: “I don’t skip the gym.” This is much, much more effective than telling yourself: “I can’t skip the gym.”
When you tell yourself that you don’t do something, you are identifying yourself with the choice. You’re reminding yourself that this was something you chose for yourself, it’s something you have control over, and something that you’re motivated to do.
When you tell yourself “I can’t,” like “I can’t skip the gym,” you know that that’s not actually true, and therefore, you’re much more likely to go back on it.
Again, research shows that just this simple shift shifting from “I can’t” to “I don’t” makes you three times more likely to succeed in upholding your resolutions.
What’s your resolution?
So what are you hoping to succeed at this year? Which intentions can you use the words “I don’t” to make you more likely to succeed?
