{"id":165909,"date":"2023-12-26T13:23:40","date_gmt":"2023-12-26T13:23:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/habit-change-new-years-resolution\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T10:24:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T09:24:13","slug":"habit-change-new-years-resolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/habit-change-new-years-resolution\/","title":{"rendered":"A Habit Change Approach To New Year\u2019s Resolutions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The new year is always something to look forward to, isn\u2019t it? It\u2019s the perfect time to begin a new adventure and make resolutions to improve and be better. But here\u2019s the truth about new year\u2019s resolutions \u2013 a massive 80% of them fail <a href=\"#references\">(1)<\/a>! That\u2019s a crazy statistic if you ask me. The question now is what can we do to join the 20% who do succeed? <strong>Can a habit change approach help us achieve our goals for the new year?<\/strong> Let\u2019s find out in this blog post!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are habits?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, \u201c<strong>we are what we repeatedly do<\/strong>.\u201d This is the very definition of a habit \u2013 <strong>routine behaviors that we do automatically do<\/strong>, without making a conscious decision to do them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every morning when you wake up, you do these 3 things: fold the blanket, arrange the pillows, tuck the sheets in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You do all these without thinking about it because you\u2019ve been doing this routine your whole life! This is your waking up habit. As the day unfolds, your other habits come into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, habits can either be good or bad. <strong>Good habits help improve your productivity and your quality of life<\/strong>. Bad habits, on the other hand, like smoking and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/why-is-nutrition-important\/\">eating unhealthy foods<\/a><\/strong>, can be detrimental to your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are literally creatures of habit and our life is shaped by them. To reach your goals for the new year, <strong>you MUST break away from your old, bad habits first<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"605\" src=\"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-06.jpg\" alt=\"How do habits form\" class=\"wp-image-130443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-06.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-06-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-06-1024x516.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-06-768x387.jpg 768w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-06-600x303.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do habits form?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Charles Duhigg, a 3-part neurological loop drives every single habit <a href=\"#references\">(2)<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>CUE \u2013 ROUTINE \u2013 REWARD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The \u2018cue\u2019 is the trigger that prompts you to do the next step.<\/li><li>\u2018Routine\u2019 is the immediate action you take after you receive the cue.<\/li><li>The \u2018reward\u2019 is what your brain gets out of doing the routine, for instance, a feeling of satisfaction or pleasure.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Identify all 3 elements and you\u2019ll be closer to a successful habit change, which will bring you closer to achieving your new year\u2019s resolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Putting the habit loop into action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To change bad habits and\/or create new good ones, you need to <strong>identify your cues<\/strong>. If you\u2019re not sure what your cues are because your bad habits have been ingrained in you for so long, you need to take some time to figure it out. Only then can you actually move on to the <strong>next step which is to establish a new routine<\/strong> in lieu of the old one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what\u2019s the reward? Well, it\u2019s the feeling you get after you do your routine\/habit. In our morning habit example above, the reward may be the satisfaction of seeing the bed all neat and made up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"602\" src=\"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2-13.jpg\" alt=\"Follow the habit change approach\" class=\"wp-image-150103\" srcset=\"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2-13.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2-13-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2-13-1024x514.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2-13-768x385.jpg 768w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2-13-600x301.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips to make the habit change approach work for your new year\u2019s resolutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to finally achieve your new year\u2019s resolution? Follow these habit-forming tips!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(1) Know your \u201cwhy\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Why did you choose a particular resolution? Why not another one? Before you settle on a resolution, figure out your \u201cwhy\u201d. It will serve as your reminder and drive you to reach your goals!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>New year\u2019s resolution \u2013 avoid processed foods and start eating whole foods only<\/li><li>Why \u2013 you want to live long enough to see your kids grow up<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Every time you think about wolfing down a massive serving of French fries or consuming a whole bag of Doritos, take out your phone and look at photos of your kids. That way, you get a reminder of why you\u2019re doing your diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(2) Start small instead of aiming for big goals right away<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Going by the same example above, instead of cutting out all processed food immediately, do it slowly. Highly processed food can be highly addicting, and you may experience food withdrawal symptoms <a href=\"#references\">(3)<\/a>. It\u2019s much harder to stop cold turkey, so give your body a chance to say goodbye to your favorite processed foods and adjust to a new diet. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(3) Pick a single, realistic goal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of aiming to achieve 4-5 new year\u2019s resolutions, why not choose one? Pick a realistic goal, something you can actually achieve with the resources you do have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, it\u2019s fine to aim for a 50k ultra marathon next year. But is it feasible for you? A lot of planning and training go into marathons. Depending on your condition, it may be a more realistic goal if you aim for a 5k race instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"604\" src=\"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/un-approccio-per-il-cambio-delle-abitudini-per-i-propositi-per-il-nuovo-anno-03.jpg\" alt=\"Consistently work on your new habit routines\" class=\"wp-image-158979\" srcset=\"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/un-approccio-per-il-cambio-delle-abitudini-per-i-propositi-per-il-nuovo-anno-03.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/un-approccio-per-il-cambio-delle-abitudini-per-i-propositi-per-il-nuovo-anno-03-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/un-approccio-per-il-cambio-delle-abitudini-per-i-propositi-per-il-nuovo-anno-03-1024x515.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/un-approccio-per-il-cambio-delle-abitudini-per-i-propositi-per-il-nuovo-anno-03-768x387.jpg 768w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/un-approccio-per-il-cambio-delle-abitudini-per-i-propositi-per-il-nuovo-anno-03-600x302.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(4) Implement the 21\/90 rule<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The 21\/90 rule states that you need to do the new routine for 21 days straight to turn it into a habit and then continue doing it for the next 90 days to make it a permanent lifestyle change. This isn\u2019t contradictory to Lally et al.\u2019s findings <a href=\"#references\">(4)<\/a> of habits taking 18 to 254 days to form. If anything, the said study supports the 21\/90 rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(5) Create a detailed plan of action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To achieve your new year\u2019s resolution, you need to have an action plan. You\u2019ve already identified your goal and your \u201cwhy.\u201d Now it\u2019s time to list down all the steps you need to take to nail down your new habit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned earlier, figure out your cue and then carry out the new routine. Each day you will need to make a conscious decision to do the routine, and you will need to foster that decision with motivation and willpower. By doing that, you will slowly but steadily change your habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(6) Make your environment conducive to success<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re trying to start eating healthier, you don\u2019t want to be surrounded by all the food you\u2019re trying to avoid. So, clean out your pantry and remove all the processed and junk foods in there. Then when you go for your grocery runs, stick to the healthy food aisle. Or just start shopping for fresh produce at the farmer\u2019s market!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(7) Develop a support system<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask someone you trust to help you be accountable. On days when you feel like a failure, they can help motivate you to continue pursuing your goals for the new year. Also, it\u2019s better if it\u2019s a two-way street \u2013 help your friend be accountable to their new year\u2019s resolution as well. Maybe try to have a little competition going. It may help light a fire under both of you!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"603\" src=\"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4-9.jpg\" alt=\"Develop a support system and enjoy the habit-forming process\" class=\"wp-image-150117\" srcset=\"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4-9.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4-9-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4-9-1024x515.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4-9-768x386.jpg 768w, https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4-9-600x302.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">(8) Enjoy the process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It will be much easier for you to reach your goals if you actually enjoy what you\u2019re doing. If you hate your new habit-forming routine, then you&#8217;re more likely to slack off. You\u2019ll think it\u2019s too hard or it\u2019s not worth the effort. Even if you\u2019ve identified your \u201cwhy\u201d, if you don\u2019t particularly enjoy the routine, then you\u2019ll still find it difficult. So, it\u2019s important to actually enjoy the whole process \u2013 you\u2019ll be more likely to succeed if you do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While a habit change approach can help you achieve your new year\u2019s resolution faster, your success will ultimately boil down to your willpower and self-discipline. You will need to make a conscious effort in the beginning. But after a few weeks of consistent action, you\u2019ll find yourself doing the new habit automatically. With that said, do let us know in the comments section below what you\u2019re hoping to achieve in the new year!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>References<\/summary>\n\n<p>(1)    Tabaka, Marla. \u201cMost People Fail to Achieve Their New Year\u2019s Resolution. For Success, Choose a Word of the Year Instead.\u201d Inc.Com, 6 Feb. 2020, www.inc.com\/marla-tabaka\/why-set-yourself-up-for-failure-ditch-new-years-resolution-do-this-instead.html.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(2)    \u201cHow Habits Work.\u201d Charles Duhigg, 20 Nov. 2017, charlesduhigg.com\/how-habits-work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(3)    Schulte, Erica M., et al. \u201cDevelopment of the Highly Processed Food Withdrawal Scale.\u201d Appetite, vol. 131, 2018, pp. 148\u201354. Crossref, doi:10.1016\/j.appet.2018.09.013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(4)    Lally, Phillippa, et al. \u201cHow Are Habits Formed: Modelling Habit Formation in the Real World.\u201d European Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 40, no. 6, 2009, pp. 998\u20131009. Crossref, doi:10.1002\/ejsp.674.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/details>\n\n<\/div>\n \n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The new year is always something to look forward to, isn\u2019t it? It\u2019s the perfect time to begin a new adventure and make resolutions to improve and be better. But here\u2019s the truth about new year\u2019s resolutions \u2013 a massive 80% of them fail (1)! That\u2019s a crazy statistic if you ask me. The question&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":150088,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1856],"tags":[2028],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-165909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellbeing","tag-habits"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":1856,"label":"Wellbeing"}],"post_tag":[{"value":2028,"label":"Habits"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/a-habit-change-approach-to-new-year-s-resolutions-06-1024x516.jpg",1024,516,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"David Pashley","author_link":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/author\/david\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":1856,"name":"Wellbeing","slug":"wellbeing","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1856,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":39,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1856,"category_count":39,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Wellbeing","category_nicename":"wellbeing","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":2028,"name":"Habits","slug":"habits","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2028,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"}],"wpml":{"language":"en-mt","is_original":false,"original_post_id":130393,"translations":{"de-at":{"id":169380,"language":"de-at","is_original":false},"de-de":{"id":75083,"language":"de-de","is_original":false},"en-gb":{"id":130393,"language":"en-gb","is_original":true},"en-ie":{"id":163826,"language":"en-ie","is_original":false},"en-mt":{"id":165909,"language":"en-mt","is_original":false},"fr-fr":{"id":75016,"language":"fr-fr","is_original":false},"it-it":{"id":75003,"language":"it-it","is_original":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=165909"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165909\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":242049,"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165909\/revisions\/242049"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150088"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=165909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=165909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=165909"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-mt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=165909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}