We talk a lot about change here at the school. The word is right there in our tag line, “Building character, changing lives.” As we all know, though, change is one of those words that’s easier said than done. Those of us into making New Years resolutions are reminded of that sad fact every time January rolls around.
Now scientists have figured out one reason why half of us who resolve in January to make changes in our lives are bowed in defeat by July. It’s because willpower appears to be a real form of mental energy, powered by glucose in the bloodstream, which is used up as we exert self-control. In other words, we fail because we simply run out of willpower. To keep our New Years resolutions, the researchers advise us to anticipate the limits of our willpower.
“People with the best self-control, paradoxically, are the ones who use their willpower less often. Instead of fending off one urge after another, these people set up their lives to minimize temptations. They play offense, not defense, using their willpower in advance so that they avoid crises, conserve their energy and outsource as much self-control as they can.”
The article (which you can read in its entirety here) lists 7 helpful tips for resolution-makers, which anyone familiar with the 12 Steps will recognize.
Set single goals. (“K.I.S.S.”)
Precommit. (“Stick with the winners.”)
Outsource self-control. (“Let go and let God.”)
Keep track. (“One day at a time.”)
Don’t overreact to a lapse. (“Keep coming back, it works if you work it.”)
Tomorrow is another taste. (“First Things First”)
Reward often. (“Hugs not drugs.”)
