Why Do Some People Keep Their New Years Resolutions And Others Not?

Playing sports is one of the New Year’s resolutions that almost everyone is considering. It is therefore not strange that in the first weeks of 2020, the gyms are crowded. And let the streets be filled with cyclists and runners.

This desire that we all usually start the New Year with is the result of a motivation that over time wears off. But what makes some people keep their New Year’s resolutions, but others not?

As David McClelland (professor of psychology at Harvard University) explains in his study of Human Motivation , motivation to achieve a goal arises from an initial desire, the excitement of learning a new skill and the pleasant feeling of progress.

However, why is it difficult for people to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions without discipline?

Discipline is needed to achieve goals

We have to keep in mind that when we start the year, we come back from vacation. We are rested, full of desire to do new things and with that New Year feeling that invites change.

However, the pains, the changes which do not manifest themselves, the fatigue of the work, the aches, the responsibilities… All this begins to appear from the second month.

That’s when when we forget to exercise, we find excuses (it’s raining, it’s cold, I’m sick). Gradually, the initial motivation is diluted. To all this is added that in a month and without having made any change in our diet, we hardly notice any change in our physique, which frustrates us and makes us throw in the towel. All of this could be avoided through discipline.

Discipline is a set of rules and regulations that we follow because it makes us feel good or because we should. For example, every day when we get up we brush our teeth, even though we don’t want to. It is an example of discipline. It can be incorporated, also in sport. How? ‘Or’ What ? By doing one important thing: introducing it into our life gradually.

New Year’s Resolutions: How To Stay Motivated?

What makes some people keep their New Year’s resolutions is the motivation they manage to maintain. That is why, in order not to lose sight of our goal and to continue to play sports, it is advisable to take into account certain advices.

• Choose an activity that interests us : we don’t have to choose running. Doing yoga, spinning, or going for a walk every night after work may be fine. It will be impossible to feel motivated and disciplined if an activity does not interest us or does not appeal to us. There is a wide choice to be made!

• Start little by little : a habit does not happen overnight. It is important to introduce some changes, for example, going to the gym two days a week, after a month add another day and so on, gradually. In this way our life will adapt to this new habit.
• Meet people who love sports : If we sign up for guided classes or run in the same place every day, we will end up meeting people who understand us and who also play the sport. Maybe we will end up meeting to play sports together or make friends

All of these tips will be fundamental to achieving that discipline that will help us finally become people who keep their New Year’s resolutions. Also, over time, we will begin to see changes. We will notice that we are losing weight, that we feel more agile and that our abs are taking shape. This will encourage us to continue our efforts and improve.

While motivation will allow us to make decisions and start taking those steps to bring sport into our lives, only discipline will finally make this New Year’s resolution a reality. We won’t always want it, sometimes the moment won’t be the best …

But how many times have we overcome laziness? And, after playing sports, don’t we feel good? Let’s not let this year be another frustrated attempt to make exercise a part of our routine.

Let’s choose well, start slowly, and be patient. With discipline, we’ll finally find out why some people keep their New Year’s resolutions. And why we haven’t been able to do so until now.

Our thoughts

Exercise has many psychological, physical and social benefits, and it also promotes good brain health.