Every time I used to leave the dentist I would think: “this time, I’m really going to floss.” And then I do – for about a week. I repeated this little dance year after year.

But six months ago things changed. I stuck with the flossing – and I’m happy to say that it is now officially a “habit”. I managed to overcome the high failure rate (60-90%) associated with resolution-type failures.

Despite the terrible odds, setting a goal is critical to our success. John Norcross, psychology professor at the University of Scranton found that we are ten times more likely to make a successful change if we make a resolution.

With that said, clearly, goals alone are not enough to invoke a change. The following three things are also critical:

1)      Accountability
Accountability is practically a must when it comes to setting new goals. Take fitness for example: would you really show up at the gym at 6 a.m. if it weren’t for your trainer? In the workplace, we can invite our colleagues, manager, and even clients to help hold us accountable.

A deadline is also critical. Resist the temptation to say “I’ll get back to you soon” (which often turns into later … much later). Instead, commit to a firm date (e.g., “I’ll have this to you by Friday.”) A little bit of social pressure helps with follow-though.

2)      Repetition
Habits are based on solid neural pathways, which are established through repetition.  A new habit needs to be repeated over and over again until its neural pathway is fully entrenched. Only at this point does the new habit become second nature. The bad news for all of us who like the quick fix is that this about a month and possibly much long.

3)      Mental Space
Willpower stems from our pre-frontal cortex – but many things tap into this part of the brain, often leading to overwhelm. And professionals often face these things in abundance: focusing, short-term memory tasks and abstract problem-solving.

Generally speaking, the busier we get, the less room there is for willpower, and the harder it is to form a new habit. Therefore, we need to free up some mental space and clear out some of the clutter if we want to make a change.

Looking back on my flossing saga, it took the above three things to help make the habit stick:[sws_picture_frame1 src=”http://clearconceptinc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/iStock-Neurons.jpg” title=”” alt=”” align=”sws_frame_right” lightbox=”” album=”album” video=””] [/sws_picture_frame1]

  • Accountability: Ironically, it was a client who encouraged me to commit. (Usually, I’m the one encouraging clients to make new commitments!)
  • Repetition: After about a month, it started to become second nature. Finally!
  • Space: I wasn’t buried with other projects at the time

There is a lot of talk about new habits at this time of year. I hope that these tips help you with whatever goals you are tackling.

On that note, how are your New Year’s resolutions going? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for your time,

Ann