Want to Stick to your Resolutions? Work on the Hidden Influences Keeping you Stuck.

Resolution, the noun form of the verb resolve, derives from the Latin resolvere, meaning “to loosen.” The original sense of “resolve” is not about bringing something new to a situation you want to change. Essentially, a resolution is the untying of a problematic knot. Resolving to do something literally means to get unstuck.

As the new year approaches, we set intentions, goals, and resolutions to make things better. Usually, we frame our resolutions as behavior changes. We promise to start doing something, or stop doing something, or finally accomplish that thing we’ve been meaning to do. The statistics on our ability to make good on our resolutions are not encouraging. Only 8% of respondents to an October 2023 Forbe’s survey stuck to their New Year’s resolutions for more than one month.

Maybe it would be better to remind ourselves of the true meaning of a resolution. Rather than focus on the behaviors we want to change, we could focus on loosening the knots that make changing our behaviors difficult. If we resolve to get unstuck, maybe our desired behavior changes won’t feel like such a struggle.

Rather than focus on the behaviors we want to change, we could focus on loosening the knots that make changing our behaviors difficult.

If you’ve waited until the start of a new year to adopt a change, it probably means that you anticipate the change will require commitment and effort. Otherwise, you would have simply adopted the change when it first struck you as a good idea. Waiting until January to improve things is a telltale sign that a knot needs some loosening.

You can’t loosen a knot you don’t notice. That’s where SCAN comes in. If you’re unfamiliar with the SCAN framework, check out this post. SCAN does for your mind what a physical therapist does for your body. SCAN not only provides insights into what’s got you tangled up, SCAN teaches you strategies for increasing the flexibility of your thinking.

From January to SCANuary

Let’s work through an example. I’ll take a traditional New Year’s resolution and apply the SCAN framework to identify insights and options I might be missing. Suppose I resolve to get fit, lose weight, and eat a healthier diet in 2024.

Structures: Which of my habits and routines are inconsistent with a healthy lifestyle?

Maybe I’m in the habit of eating lunch without taking a break from work. I end up choosing convenient food that I can eat quickly while keeping my attention on my computer screen. I don’t feel full and end up snacking throughout the afternoon to keep me alert. Most of what I eat during the day consists of carbohydrates. If I don’t loosen the knot of my workday routines, I won’t develop healthier eating habits.

Context: Which environmental factors outside my control create opportunities for a healthy lifestyle, which factors put a healthy lifestyle at risk?

I could be on the lookout for new apps or devices that make it easy and fun for me to track fitness data. I could learn about new studies linking some of my current behaviors to a lack of stamina or energy. Maybe I should get the results of a physical before establishing a new fitness routine. A fear of the unknown may be a knot I need to loosen so that I can learn about what’s new and what’s changing.

Assumptions: How might my beliefs, mindsets, and worldviews be responsible for the way I’m framing my resolution?

What am I comparing myself to when I imagine that my current situation needs to change? Maybe I’ve formed an image of fitness that is unrealistic or inconsistent with what I value most. If I don’t loosen the knot of my biases, I may be striving to achieve the wrong goal.

Needs: How might the concerns and perspectives of people who matter relate to my fitness goals?

Of course, getting clear on my own fears and motivations may loosen an important knot. Who else should I include in my thinking about living a healthier lifestyle? Maybe I share meals with people who won’t enjoy dining with me if I change my diet. Maybe I’m trying to impress someone without really understanding how they view me now. Maybe I need to seek out a health coach to help me get started?

I get it. Asking yourself hard questions feels more daunting than simply setting goals and taking action. So, how about this? If it’s nearing the end of January, and you find yourself among the anticipated 92% of people who are about to call it quits on your New Year’s resolution, consider SCANning for a few knots to loosen.