ZEENAT MOORAD: Make new goals stick
The start of a new, distinct time period can mean a psychological line in the sand, inducing people to take a big-picture view of their lives
In resolving to be better at something or set new goals, January is widely regarded as one of the worst times of year. About 80% of people who set resolutions and make pledges on the first day of a new year are said to abandon them by mid-February, say some researchers. And time management firm FranklinCovey says one-third of resolutions don’t even make it past the end of January. Self-improvement, in any form, is said to be a proclamation of ownership over one’s destiny — hence Shop Talk safely holding off until February (1!) to write about the valiant effort for new leafs and the like. In setting and keeping resolutions we’re told not to treat a marathon like a sprint and to steer clear of thinking too much (and doing too little) at the risk of failing. It happens to the best of us: if you don’t do X by Y, you’re a total loser. We’re also told that in order to stick, goals and resolutions need to be "smart" (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound). And we certainly...
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