"Surveys have found that less than 10 percent of Americans who make resolutions stick to them for a year. By the end of February 2024, according to a survey conducted by the Harris Poll, about half of respondents who set resolutions had already given up on them. (I'm impressed they lasted that long. My latest resolution was to stop wasting time scrolling, and minutes later I was online, researching what people typically do to spend less time online.)"
"Clearly, the way Americans have been approaching this whole resolution business-that is, tackling our challenges head-on-simply does not work. If you want 2026 to be different, you have to try something new and bold. So let me offer a counterintuitive piece of advice: To make your New Year's promise stick this year, consider breaking it before you even get started."
"Absurd as it may sound, purposefully working against what you would like to achieve is a well-established intervention in psychology. Paradoxical intent, as it's known, is commonly used to treat conditions such as insomnia. Imagine that you're having trouble drifting off at night and lie in bed for hours, desperate for sleep to take hold, which only makes you more anxious and awake."
Less than 10 percent of Americans who make resolutions maintain them for a year. By the end of February 2024, about half of people who set resolutions had already given up on them. Tackling challenges head-on often fails as a change strategy. Deliberately undermining a goal can improve outcomes through paradoxical intent. Paradoxical intent is a psychological intervention used to treat conditions such as insomnia by reducing performance pressure. Trying to stay awake when struggling to sleep reduces anxiety and can improve sleep onset. Studies suggest that reducing fear of failure helps anxious people experiment without catastrophic consequences.
Read at The Atlantic
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