Why You Shouldn ’ t Give Up on Your New Year ’ s Resolutions

The time honored tradition of making New Year’s resolutions is deeply rooted in our modern culture. Perhaps because it is a new year, we feel it’s a good time where we can also be renewed. We can change. We can become a better person. Somewhere between 40 and 50 percent of people make New Year’s resolutions (American Medical Association, 1995; Epcot Poll, 1985). But how many people actually keep at least one of their resolutions? Contrary to popular opinion, most people who make New Year’s resolutions keep at least one of them far longer than is believed. For example, this article in U.S. News & World Report wrongly claims that 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. But it cites absolutely no research in making this claim (a claim that has now since been repeated by others). According to the psychological research, however, you’re actually pretty likely to still have kept your New Year’s resolutions after 6 weeks. In one study (Marlatt & Kaplan, 1972), researchers found that at the end of 15 weeks, 75 percent of the people said they were able to keep at least one of their resolutions. But 62 percent of women and 50 of men acknowledged breaking at least one of their New Year’s resolutions, according to their own self-report. In a more recent study, Norcross et al. (1989) reported 77 percent of people studied kept their resolutions for at least one week. After a month, that number dropped to 55 percent, and after six ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Brain and Behavior General Holiday Coping Inspiration & Hope Psychology Self-Esteem Self-Help don't quit New Year's resolution new years resolutions sticking with your resolutions Source Type: blogs