Goals for 2024? See six tips on how to fulfill them – 01/04/2024 – Balance

There is no shortage of ideas to start 2024 off right: lose weight, drink less, meditate more and so on. But wait a moment! Aren’t the resolutions of last year and the year before (and the years before them) curiously similar to the new ones? Exactly. They are, in fact, probably the same.

No wonder! The enthusiasm with which we start each new year is similar to New Year’s Eve fireworks: after a loud bang and bright lights, everything turns to dust. Our inner laziness takes the reins and everything repeats itself, year after year. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Just keep a few things in mind to make 2024 a really good year.

1. One thing at a time

“The biggest mistake you can make is promising too many things at the same time,” says sports and labor psychologist Mario Schuster. Anyone who wants to not only quit smoking, but also cut out sweets from their diet and finally start running, will definitely be overwhelmed.

“To break old habits, we need willpower,” explains Schuster. This, however, is not something we usually have in abundance. Pursuing multiple goals at the same time also forces our willpower to work on multiple fronts – leading to rapid burnout. In the end, we ended up getting nowhere. “There’s nothing wrong with changing several habits,” says the psychologist. “The important thing is that it’s one thing at a time.”

2. It has to be fun

We must therefore choose a resolution that we can fully focus on. But which one? After all, they are all reasonable and sensible. The answer seems simple: “It has to be fun. We need a positive approach to the change we want to make,” says Schuster.

“I have to quit smoking” and “I want to quit smoking” may differ only marginally linguistically. From a psychological perspective, however, having or wanting to do something is crucial to the long-term success of a project.

3. Be realistic

Those who in 2023 spent most of their free time lying on the couch and now plan in 2024 to run for an hour four times a week are setting extremely high standards — probably too high.

A convinced sedentary person who spends the day in front of the television can easily be happy if he can move at least twice a week, even if it’s just for half an hour.

“Regularity is more important than duration and intensity,” explains sports psychologist Schuster. After all, it’s about establishing sport as a new habit. Those who don’t overload themselves at the beginning are more likely to have fun (see point 2) and, as a result, make their good intentions come true.

4. Proclaim the resolution out loud

Let’s say then that the resolution was chosen and took shape. “Now it may be useful to share it with some people,” says the psychologist, adding that this strengthens commitment. A promise we make alone in a quiet corner is broken more quickly than one we proclaim out loud.

5. Relapses are normal – don’t despair

The year begins and good intentions continue to advance according to plan – until we stumble on the first stone of demotivation. Along with this, there is that longing for cigarettes. Or is it simply the gravitational pull of the sofa, which has never been greater! We gave in and smoked – lying down. And now?

“Do not condemn yourself under any circumstances,” warns Schuster. According to the expert, this would quickly threaten to bring the project down completely. Relapses are always possible and perhaps even likely. And there is no harm in that!

Instead, the focus should be on successful experiences – no matter how small they may seem. This strengthens our self-efficacy, explains Schuster. “Self-efficacy is a person’s belief that they can do something on their own.” Anyone who holds this belief in themselves will not be so quick to throw in the towel.

6. Better no resolution than bad resolutions

Even good intentions can be bad. This happens when their integration into our lives requires immense effort or when the driving force is “I have to” and not “I want”.

If even with all the fanfare we end up failing, and when our judgment of ourselves completely kills our self-efficacy, we need to admit that even the best intentions are not automatically good. Before that happens, it’s best to start the new year without any resolutions.