Making New Year's Resolutions Stick

"If you want to be more successful with holding onto a positive goal change, current research reports the key will be goal adaptation. Goal adaptation, also known as goal flexibility, refers to the ability to view setbacks with patience and kindness. Approaching your New Year resolution this way allows for wiggle-room, so adjustments can be made to your desired outcome. Goal flexibility also leads to greater feelings of success and well-being."

"Direction over destination. Choose a mindful direction to take your New Year's resolution. Aim for small changes instead of a giant targeted goal. This kind of adaptive goal deepens resiliency. And resiliency further accelerates adaptation. This continuous feedback loop offers a meaningful dynamic synergy, with one helping the other. So, instead making a destination of, "I'm going to lose 25 pounds," a more directional approach would be, "I'm going to be more mindful of eating healthier.""

Adaptive goals, or goal flexibility, emphasize direction, patience, and adjustments rather than fixed targets. Goal flexibility involves viewing setbacks with kindness and allowing wiggle-room to change desired outcomes. Flexible, directional goals produce greater feelings of success, resilience, and well-being and increase the likelihood of maintaining positive changes. Practical strategies include choosing mindful direction over a specific destination, aiming for small incremental changes, and focusing on progress instead of perfection. Resiliency and adaptation create a reinforcing feedback loop that supports sustained effort. Celebrating small achievements and permitting temporary lapses preserves momentum and long-term adherence to resolutions.

Read at Psychology Today