Episode 14 Show Notes

New Year, Same You

In Which a Tortoise and a Hare Converse…

Guest: Carla Webb

“If something feels too hard to start, it simply means the first step isn’t small enough.” Miss Edson as told by Dr. Becky Kennedy

Don’t feel the need to reinvent yourself every January 1st (or any day, for that matter).

• Small changes made one at a time over a series of weeks and months are much more sustainable 

• All or nothing mentality never works, it usually leads to nothing

• Instead of making resolutions about what you don’t like about yourself

  • Make a list of what you already do that you’d like to lean into. Then lean in.

  • Make a list of what you like about yourself. Capitalize on your strengths. 

Fun Facts about Resolutions: 

According to a 2023 Forbes Health/OnePoll survey, the average New Year's resolution lasts less than four months. 

Breakdown of how long resolutions last 

• Less than one month: 1% of people

• One month: 8% of people

• Two months: 22% of people

• Three months: 22% of people

• Four months: 13% of people

• Five months: 9% of people

• Six months: 5% of people

• Seven months or more: 2% or fewer of people

• Eleven or twelve months: 1% or fewer of people

Why resolutions fail

• Vague goals: Goals that are too general are more likely to be broken 

• Lack of motivation: People may lose motivation or become too busy 

• Changing priorities: People may change their goals or priorities 

• Setting unrealistic goals: Goals that are too ambitious may be difficult to maintain 

Ohio State University stated (2023): Researchers suggest that only 9% of Americans that make resolutions complete them. In fact, research goes on to show that 23% of people quit their resolutions by the end of the first week, and 43% quit by the end of January.  

There are four reasons why people seem to fail at New Year’s resolutions.  

• So many resolutions are set because it is tradition. Goals should start at a time of change or need for change. Goals are your vision of what you would like the future to look like. If you are setting a resolution for tradition's sake, then your motivation will be lacking compared to a goal set because of a need.     

• Unforseen Obstacles. No matter how small or straightforward the goal is, there is always a chance for an obstacle.  

• Goals too big (need to be broken into smaller chunks)

• Accountability. Studies show that people who not only write their goals but set up a way to be accountable for them will be twice as likely to achieve them. 

New York Post reports: It’s official: Feb. 1 is the day we call it quits on our New Year’s resolutions, according to new research.

A new poll (in 2020) of 2,000 Americans found that it takes just 32 days for the average person to finally break their resolution(s) — but 68% report giving up their resolutions even sooner than that.

In fact, one in seven Americans never actually believe they’ll see their resolution through in the first place.