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Humans find it hard to change their behavior. Approximately 95% of new years resolutions are never achieved. Dr Adam Fraser looks at why we are so terrible at sticking to goals.

In a way achieving goals goes against our natural biological drivers. Our natural program is to move away from things that cause us stress and discomfort. Studies have shown that the most common emotions people feel during the goal achievement process are frustration, anxiety, fear, boredom and apathy. Therefore we have to realize that altering any habit or achieving any goal flies in the face of our normal biological desires and behavior.

HERE ARE SOME KEYS TO HELP YOU STICK WITH YOUR GOALS:~

1.) Get Over Your Story!
When people stop taking action toward their goal they rationalized it by making up a story around why they couldn't do it. Most of the time they said it was not their fault ie:~ "I will get back to this goal when work calms down a bit". When analyzed their stories were inaccurate and delusional.

2.) Realize It Won't Be Easy!
When people who stopped pursuing a goal, were shown examples of other people who were successful at achieving a similar goal, they saw the other persons goal as being easier, or that the other person was having more fun getting to their goal. Neither of these were true. In fact those that stuck to their goal were as challenged, bored, frustrated with their goals as those that gave up. They just didn't see those things as a reason to quit.

3.) Just Start!
Research shows that once we start the activity, momentum tends to make us keep going. For example to get people to exercise researchers got them to walk for just 10 minutes a day, however once they were out and exercising they continued to walk much longer.

4.) Don't Think Too Much!
People that didn't achieve their goals tended to think about it a lot. Those people that did achieve their goals didn't analyze it too much, when it came time to do their chosen activity, they just did it.

5.) Create Tension!
Often children stick to new hobbies or sports because they have a lot of tension in their environment to make them keep going. Tension from parents, coaches and other students. All these sources of tension keep them accountable. Announce your goals to people and set up tension in your environment to keep you accountable.

6.) Change The Small Stuff!
A recent weight loss study showed that people who changed small habits like the way they drove to work, what wrist they wore their watch on, which hand they brushed their teeth with, lost far more weight than those in the study who did not change these small habits.

Quote of The Day

SparkPeople Translation

Being a leader is a privileged position. You not only have to look out for your own needs, but for the needs of others. You will not be an effective person in charge if you disregard the wants of all others. Consider yourself a member of the group, fortunate enough to act as a representative of that group. Do what you can to make others happy, acting in the best interest of as many people as you can. Serve them. Listen to what they all have to say. By working together with everybody, you’ll be able to accomplish more than you ever could alone.