3 Reasons to Create Habits Not Resolutions
It’s the start of a brand new year, and there are tons of posters and ads with the slogan:
New year! New You!
There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it makes perfect sense to want to start fresh when the year resets…especially if the previous year wasn’t all that great.
However, a common mistake that many of us unwittingly make is making resolutions instead of creating new habits.
To get the most out of 2020, I’m going to share three reasons we should focus on creating habits instead of making resolutions.
Reason #1: Resolutions are Simply Decisions
Most resolutions don’t take a great deal of careful consideration. They’re just decisions.
We simply look at our current situation and decide that things need to change. If we gained weight, we make resolutions to eat better or to lose weight. If we loathe our jobs, we make resolutions to take some course or do something to make sure we’re not stuck in that place for long.
The challenge with resolutions is the fact that a decision doesn’t imply a commitment or include a plan. In fact, we can easily change our minds and rescind the resolution.
Reason #2: Creating a Habit is Like Setting a Goal
It takes time and intentionality to create a habit.
Of course, some habits are formed by people avoiding something on a daily basis, but even that process takes place to over time. It’s not like someone wakes up, decides to stop smoking and kick that habit in one day.
I’m sure there are some who have quit cold turkey or go from zero to 60 when it comes to creating new habits, but for most people, it’s a process that’s not too different than the SMART goal-setting process.
Ensuring that the new habit that you are creating is smart, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound will lead you to be far more successful than if you simply made a resolution.
Reason #3: Habits are Trackable and Measurable
Resolutions are all or nothing. Either you do the thing you resolved to do, or you don’t. There’s no middle ground. There’s little room for improvement. There are no steps to success; it’s either done or it’s not.
Creating a habit isn’t like that, especially if you use the SMART goal-setting process. As you’re creating a new habit you can set yourself up for success by building short term goals or checkpoints within your long-range goal.
That way you’ll have a lot of small successes that will serve as encouragement and inspiration as you continue toward making that habit part of your new daily routine.
Next Steps
If you’re ready to transform your resolutions into habits, you can sign up for my free email course! In a few days, you’ll be well on your way to creating a life-changing healthy habit. Just complete the form below and click the box in front of “5 Steps to Creating a Healthy Habit!”
It’s the first Wednesday of the year! Hop on the scale and determine your starting point. This is the perfect way to track your new habit!
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