Here's How to Make & Keep Your 2013 Goals
If youre like many people, you see Jan. 1 as a good time to make some changes. It turns out that, when you make a promise to yourself, you just might be on track to be better off.
A January, 2012, New York Times article, Be it resolved, reported that people who make formal promises to themselves are up to 70 percent more successful in reaching their goals than people who dont.
But as anyone whos ever tried to make a lifestyle change knows, its hard to keep a good thing going.
The good news is scientists are finding ways to make it easier.
Willpower is more than mind over matter. Its physical.
It turns out that what we call willpower is real mental energy that comes from a physical process. Glucose, the fuel for our bodies, powers our physical activity, but also our mental activity. That includes our self-control.
The more we need to use our self-control, the more willpower fuel we burn. Sooner or later, we run low and become mentally fatigued. We might become too tired to spend energy on our goals. As with a car and gas mileage, its wise to find ways to be more willpower-efficient.
How can we keep our willpower?
Everyday temptations: An experience sampling study of desire, conflict, and self-control, published in December 2011 in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology by Florida State University and University of Chicago scientists, says that people with the best willpower or self-control are those who use it least.
Instead of always fighting temptations, these people set up life to avoid trouble in the first place.
One of the studys authors says people who do this play offense, not defense. In other words, they avoid crises, conserve their energy, and find ways to keep from having to drain their willpower tanks.
Maybe you consider changing your commute so you dont pass that donut shop. Or maybe you pick up a book instead of watching the home-shopping channel. No matter what, thinking of your willpower as something to protect can help make sure its there when you need it.
Tips for success
Lets say you want to lose weight. Scientists say this is the hardest New Years resolution, because the more you starve your body, the less glucose you have in your bloodstream. That results in less willpower. Its a vicious cycle; one that makes dieting really hard for many people.
But whether its dieting, exercising more, spending less, or any other aim, it helps to come at it from the willpower-preservation angle.
On the plus side, we have new tools to help us, including the all-powerful smartphone. We also have science. Here are suggestions the New York Times article provides:
Cheers to you, and remember: Its not about what youre giving up. Its what youre adding to your life.
Watching Your Back,
Your Health Coach,
Dr. Ross Coccimiglio
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