Have new habits or goals for 2012? You have to make it to March 6th.

guest — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:34:02 GMT

I’ve found that people are more likely to reach any goal, or establish a new habit, if they have a personal reason for wanting to reach that goal.

Once you have your reason clarified, and better if it’s written down, then it’s easier to take that action today to move your closer towards your goal.

So, two easy things to write down right now, that will help you succeed in the next eight weeks (assuming you had these goals as New Year’s Resolutions):

What are your top three goals for the next six to twelve months?
For each goal, write down why you want to achieve that goal.

Why did I say “eight weeks”?

A study by the Cancer Research United Kingdom Health Behaviour Research Centre found that contrary to popular belief that habits are established in 21 to 28 days, most people need an average of 66 days (or a total of roughly 9.4 weeks) to establish a new habit.

If you are trying to establish new habits as of January 1, you've been working towards those goals for close to two weeks now. You’ve got to have an initial goal, or subgoal, to stay consistent through March 6^th.

Can you be consistent with your current diet and exercise program until March 6^th?

I think you can, if you have written goals and personal reasons to fuel your desire and drive.

Blog Posts From Active Expert: Gale Bernhardt Tagged With new_habit

Have new habits or goals for 2012? You have to make it to March 6th.