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 Want to make a resolution stick? Set the right goal, and get a buddy Date published: 1/3/2010
BY MARCIA A. CHIDESTER FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR Dave MacDougall has heard all the excuses from people who give up on their New Year's resolutions. They didn't have enough time to make it work. They were too busy. Interest waned. MacDougall, 47, doesn't buy any of them. On Jan. 1, 2009, the Caroline County resident made "I work full time, go to school full time, run a business part time, clean the house and do the dishes," he said. "Truly, if I can succeed at New Year's resolutions, anybody can do it." GOALS VS. MOTIVATION According to a 2002 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, 40 percent to 45 percent of Americans make one or more resolutions every year. Those promises-to-do-better focus mostly on health issues, including weight loss, exercise and kicking an addiction to cigarettes. But for most people, motivation declines almost as soon as the resolution ink dries. Twenty-five percent of those who set New Year's goals give up within the first week. Thirty-six percent quit by the end of the first month. But surprisingly, 46 percent are still going after six months. How can you make resolutions stick? First, understand why you want to change, says Marcia Grimsley, owner of Fredericksburg-based Life Coaching. Are you bowing to society's pressure? Doing it to please your family? If so, your resolution won't last long. Change only those things that matter to you, Grimsley said. "Ask yourself, 'Do I really want to do this? Or am I being motivated only by what I, or others, think I should be?'" she said. Kim Simpson, who lives in Spotsylvania County and runs a Web site devoted to helping people stick with resolutions, takes on only on those goals she's enthusiastic about, such as walking or trying new recipes. "They are things I want to do, and that add value to my life," said Simpson, a small-business owner. JOT IT DOWN, BUDDY UP According to Grimsley, less is more when it comes to setting goals. Too many is overwhelming. Better to concentrate on only one.
Date published: 1/3/2010
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