3 Ways To Make Your Resolutions Unbreakable—By A Psychologist

Forbes - Jan 14th, 2025
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A Forbes 2023 survey reveals that only 8% of individuals maintain their New Year resolutions past January. This low adherence rate is attributed to unrealistic expectations, dwindling motivation, and societal pressures. To combat this, psychological research offers strategies to solidify resolutions. These include redefining resolutions to create personal meaning, envisioning the broader impact of achieving goals, and breaking them down into daily actionable steps. By integrating these strategies, individuals can transform resolutions from mere aspirations to attainable goals, fostering personal growth throughout the year.

Understanding the broader implications of resolutions highlights their potential to incite positive change across various life aspects. The concept of the 'domino effect' suggests that a single resolution can have wide-reaching impacts, enhancing life quality in unexpected ways. Furthermore, the approach of 'habit stacking' helps embed new habits into existing routines, increasing the likelihood of success. This methodical approach encourages viewing resolutions as continuous journeys rather than finite goals, promoting long-term commitment and success. Resolutions, therefore, become a strategic tool for personal development rather than fleeting annual commitments.

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RATING

6.8
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The news story presents a thoughtful exploration of the challenges and strategies associated with maintaining new year resolutions. It provides valuable insights into psychological approaches to goal-setting and motivation, supported by references to reputable sources like Forbes, Frontiers in Psychology, and Harvard Business Review. However, the article's credibility is somewhat hindered by the lack of direct citations or links to these sources, which affects the verifiability of its claims.

While the story is clear and well-structured, offering practical advice in an accessible manner, it lacks balance in terms of presenting diverse perspectives or potential counterarguments. The focus is primarily on strategies for success, with little attention given to understanding the broader context or reasons why people might struggle with resolutions.

To enhance the article's overall impact, it could benefit from more comprehensive sourcing, greater transparency in terms of methodology and potential biases, and a more balanced presentation of viewpoints. Despite these limitations, the article succeeds in providing useful guidance for readers seeking to improve their approach to new year resolutions, making it a valuable resource for personal development.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The news story provides several statistics and references that contribute to its overall factual accuracy. For instance, it cites a Forbes 2023 survey indicating that only 8% of individuals stick to their new year resolutions for over a month. This statistic is specific and adds weight to the narrative, although the story does not provide details on the methodology of the survey, such as the sample size or demographic information, which could enhance its credibility.

The article also references research from Frontiers in Psychology and Harvard Business Review, as well as a book titled The Ripple Effect. These references suggest a reliance on credible sources, yet the story does not offer direct quotations or links to these studies, which limits the ability of readers to verify the claims independently. Moreover, while the psychological insights and suggestions appear grounded in literature, the absence of detailed data or expert commentary leaves room for questioning the depth of research undertaken.

Overall, the story's factual claims appear truthful, but the lack of verifiable data or direct links to the cited sources slightly undermines its precision. Providing more concrete evidence and direct quotes from the mentioned studies would strengthen the article's credibility and allow for better verification.

6
Balance

The article predominantly focuses on a single perspective: how individuals can successfully stick to their new year resolutions. It offers insight into the psychological aspects of goal-setting and motivation but does not explore alternative viewpoints or counterarguments. For example, discussing why some people might choose not to set resolutions or the potential downsides of intense goal-setting could have provided a more balanced view.

While the story mentions common reasons for failing resolutions, such as unrealistic expectations and social pressure, it does not delve into these issues in detail or offer perspectives from individuals who have struggled with resolutions. Including anecdotes or interviews with people who have both succeeded and failed in maintaining their resolutions could have enriched the narrative and provided a more comprehensive understanding.

The lack of diverse perspectives limits the article's balance. To improve, the story could incorporate a wider range of viewpoints, addressing both the benefits and challenges of setting new year resolutions, to present a more rounded discussion.

8
Clarity

The article is generally clear and well-structured, with a logical flow that guides the reader through the topic of maintaining new year resolutions. It starts by acknowledging the common struggle with resolutions and then provides actionable advice based on psychological insights, which is easy to follow and understand.

The language used is straightforward and professional, avoiding overly complex jargon or emotive language. This clarity helps convey the message effectively to a broad audience. The use of subheadings to introduce different sections, such as 'Redefine Your Resolution' and 'Envision The Domino Effect,' aids in breaking down the content into digestible parts, enhancing readability.

However, the article could benefit from more explicit transitions between sections to further improve the flow and continuity. While the advice given is clear, some segments could use more detailed examples or anecdotes to illustrate the points being made. Overall, the article maintains a high level of clarity, but with slight improvements in transitions and illustrative examples, it could achieve even greater readability.

7
Source quality

The story cites a range of sources, including a Forbes survey, academic research from Frontiers in Psychology, a Harvard Business Review article, and a book by James Clear. These sources are generally reputable and suggest a well-researched foundation. However, the quality of the article's sourcing is somewhat undermined by the lack of direct citations or links to these materials.

For instance, the mention of the Forbes survey lacks a direct reference, which makes it difficult for readers to assess the survey's methodology or credibility. Similarly, while discussing psychological research and theories, the article does not provide specific study titles or direct quotes, which would have added to the source quality by allowing readers to explore the original research.

Despite referencing authoritative sources, the article could improve by offering more direct citations and links, ensuring that readers have access to the original materials. This transparency would enhance the credibility and reliability of the information presented.

6
Transparency

The news story provides a decent level of transparency by referencing various studies and surveys, which suggests a reliance on evidence-based information. However, it falls short in disclosing detailed context or potential conflicts of interest. For example, while the article mentions a Forbes survey, it does not explain the survey's methodology, sample size, or any affiliations that might influence the results.

Additionally, the article references psychological research and theories but fails to provide enough detail about the studies or the authors involved. This lack of specific information limits the transparency of the claims and makes it challenging for readers to assess the validity and robustness of the evidence.

The transparency of the article could be improved by providing more in-depth context about the studies cited, including any potential conflicts of interest or biases that might affect the research. Offering more detailed explanations of the basis for the claims made would enhance the reader's understanding and trust in the story's content.