How to Avoid Giving Up New Year's Resolutions After Just Three Days?

<The Power of Very Small Repetitions> The Importance of 'Small Steps'
Brain Resists When Thoughts and Actions Change According to Big Plans
Success Comes from Building Habits with Minor Plans

Photo by Small Big Life

[Asia Economy Reporter Seunggon Han] # Kim, a 30-something office worker, declared to quit smoking for the New Year but ultimately failed. Kim said, "This year, too, I only lasted three days," and added, "People around me tell me not to worry too much, but I get stressed because I fail every year." He continued, "I firmly decided to quit smoking from the start, but I don't know why it keeps happening like this," he lamented.

According to the dictionary, 'Jaksim Samil' (literally "three days of determination") means that a firm resolve does not last more than three days, referring to a lack of strong determination. This phrase is often used when plans made at the beginning of the New Year end in failure. Even if it is not a New Year's resolution, many people fail to complete or give up on various plans they have made. Experts advise that setting small plans, or a 'small step strategy,' can reduce the probability of failure.

Dr. Robert Maurer, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a state research-focused comprehensive university, and the University of Washington School of Medicine, has studied the secrets of habits for 22 years and discovered a way to create a kind of fail-proof plan.

In his book (published by Small Big Life), he emphasizes that the key to successfully completing plans ultimately lies in how we use our brain. According to Dr. Robert Maurer, our brain dislikes change and is conservative. Because of this, it perceives changes in environment or behavior as threats to survival. Therefore, the more sudden and drastic the change, the stronger and more intense the brain's resistance. This is why grand New Year's resolutions often fail.

The method to avoid the brain's resistance and carry out resolutions to the end is the 'small step strategy.' It involves attempting very light and small changes so the brain is not startled. Neuroscience states that the human brain works more effectively when it receives small amounts of information gradually rather than all at once, usually much less than commonly believed.

Using this characteristic of the brain, the author argues that starting with small habits can help achieve even grand goals. According to the book, Dr. Robert Maurer clinically proved the small step strategy through his patients and clients. As the founder of the consulting company 'The Science of Excellence,' he provides consulting services based on this strategy to various organizations including individuals, corporations, hospitals, universities, and government agencies.

Specifically, the author advises not to resolve to exercise for one hour a day but to start with one minute a day. Instead of deciding to study for two hours a day, start with five minutes a day?this is the small step strategy. If you want to quit caffeine, try reducing even one sip a day. The reason for setting such small actions and modest goals is to make you feel like you are not even trying, so your brain does not feel fear and does not resist intensely.

The author explains that the small step strategy inevitably involves slow changes. If the slow pace of change is frustrating, he emphasizes that a life that changes slowly is better than one that does not change at all. Dr. Robert Maurer repeatedly stresses that the smaller the steps, the better. If you are disappointed and exhausted because your New Year's resolutions failed, why not set a very small plan and take one more step closer to the person you want to be?