Every new year, millions of people set resolutions with high hopes. Yet most don’t last. A Medifast survey found that nearly half of adults abandoned their 2021 resolutions within the first month, and only about 10% stuck with them long-term.

So how can you beat the odds this year? Research shows that one of the simplest, most effective steps is this: write your resolutions down.

A study by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, revealed that people who wrote down their goals were 42% more likely to achieve them. Writing transforms a vague intention into a clear commitment.

Even leadership coach Tony Robbins insists that putting pen to paper gives goals power:

“Instead of merely resolving to change a behavior, write down your goal! Not on a computer, but on paper or in a journal.”

How to Make Resolutions Stick

Tony Robbins suggests a seven-step framework for turning resolutions into reality:

1. Decide and commit to change
2. Document what you want
3. Get clear on the “why”
4. Build certainty and take action
5. Measure your progress
6. Keep going
7. Celebrate small wins

Psychologist Kendra Cherry echoes this approach, noting that tracking your progress throughout the year helps you stay motivated and gives you tangible proof of your efforts when motivation wanes.

Why Writing Works

Writing down goals activates both sides of the brain: the right (imagination) and the left (logic). Simply thinking about resolutions engages only the creative side; writing anchors them with logic and structure.

In Dr. Matthews’s study, 35% of people who wrote down their goals succeeded, compared to just 10% of the general population. The more often people write, the greater their chances of success.

And when people not only wrote their resolutions but also shared weekly updates with a friend, success rates soared above 70%.

The Bottom Line is if you want to be among the small percentage of people who keep their resolutions Write them down, Keep writing them down, and Share your progress with a friend. Do this, and you dramatically increase your chances of following through

Happy Ethiopian New Year

Source:

https://navigator-paper.com/pt/blog/article/why-you-should-write-down-your-new-years-resolutions

Share to your circles!