88% of people fail to achieve their New Year’s Resolutions.

There is a ton of science on this subject so if we want to do New Year’s Resolutions, let’s do them right.

First, Stop Fantasizing

Do fantasies give you the energy to achieve your goals? Nope.

Fantasies steal the energy you need to achieve your goals:

Positive fantasies allow people to mentally indulge in a desired future. Whereas previous research found that spontaneously generated positive fantasies about the future predict poor achievement… Results indicate that one reason positive fantasies predict poor achievement is because they do not generate energy to pursue the desired future.

You’re getting the reward before you’ve done the work and this kills your motivation. Don’t celebrate on mile 3 of the marathon.

Itching to express something about your resolution? No problem: Write your goals down.

Writing about goals makes you happier and makes you more likely to follow through with them.

Now it’s time to grit your teeth and get to work? Wrong.

Willpower Is Limited

Relying on self-control only is a sucker’s bet.

Read more: http://bakadesuyo.com/2013/12/new-years-resolutions/

Notes from when this was posted a year ago:

http://pandawhale.com/post/34628/9-steps-to-new-years-resolutions-that-last-longer-than-new-years-day

Or have a New Year's project instead http://www.eleganthack.com/give-up-your-resolutions/

Christina, brilliant.  I am going to imagine myself as a gardening project (plant, weed, fertilize, etc).

Christina, brilliant.

Geege, if you are a gardening project, what seeds will you plant in 2015?

Trust.  Compassion.  Friendship.  Art.

Rearranged they make the acronym: F.A.C.T.

So it does!  Very glad I chose Compassion over Rubies.

Then it would be R.A.F.T. See what I did there?

I see what you did there!  This could go on an on.  :)

Empathy.  Play.  Inspiration.  Conscientiousness.

Friendship. Empathy. Compassion. Kindness. Inspiration. Nutrition. Generosity.

Art. 

Brilliant.  Fecking brilliant.

Fecking majestic!