- The Washington Times - Thursday, December 28, 2017

The New Year provides a push and pull of expectations for people wanting to make a positive change in their lives. But while it may appear the best time to make better choices for health, finances or relationships, failure seems almost inevitable.

Not so, argues John C. Norcross, a psychology professor at the University of Scranton. People who make New Year’s resolutions have a 40 percent chance of success, much higher than the previously believed 8 percent success rate, he said in an email to The Washington Times.

“Contrary to widespread public opinion, a considerable proportion of New Year resolvers do succeed,” Mr. Norcross wrote in a summary of findings of several behavioral studies and at least three studies specifically examining New Year’s resolutions.

He estimates that 140 million Americans will vow to change some aspect of their behavior with the start of the new year, based on surveys and studies. In a January 2017 Harris poll, the majority of respondents said they wanted to “get their bodies and wallets in shape with New Year’s resolutions.”

Behavioral researchers like Mr. Norcross recommend creating a coherent plan and setting a realistic time frame to achieve goals are the best ways to insure success. Identifying pitfalls and thinking about ways to overcome challenges also are important in developing lasting, meaningful behavior changes.

Tested and evaluated in numerous research studies, Mr. Norcross recommends a number of evidence-based tactics that have shown to help people achieve their resolution goals.

The first is to psych yourself up and prepare an action plan either before Jan. 1 or the day you’ve established you’ll begin your resolution.

Make goals specific, develop an action plan and have confidence that you will succeed.

“Confidence (or self-efficacy, as psychologists call it) is a potent predictor of who succeeds in the new year,” Mr. Norcross wrote.

Making public announcements of your intention can also help establish accountability more than private decisions.

Finding it difficult to start? You’re not alone. Procrastination is an affliction of at least 20 percent of the world’s population, according to Joseph R. Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University and author of the book “Still Procrastinating.”

He stressed that while everybody procrastinates, not everybody is a procrastinator, and that this 20 percent represents people with an extremely maladaptive lifestyle that has repercussions on their personal health and relationships and even the economy.

“Twenty percent — that’s higher than depression, higher than phobia, higher than substance abuse, higher than alcoholism, and yet as a culture we treat this as a light, frivolous kind of concept and it isn’t, it’s devastating,” he said.

The good news is that it’s a learned behavior which can be “unlearned” by focusing on and changing the way one thinks and acts.

For people who are serious, chronic procrastinators, outside help to get started might be needed. But for the rest of the population, Mr. Ferrari has a number of suggestions that people can keep in mind to overcome the bad habit of putting things off.

First is to reduce distraction: Turn off the phone when in a meeting or with other people. Make an effort to be on time and prepared. Return all phone calls and emails within 24 hours.

Still having trouble? Find someone who’s a good role model at getting things done and ask if they have any tricks or advice.

Mr. Ferrari also suggests reducing one bad habit at a time and to pick a prize to splurge on when you meet your goals.

If you’re still waiting to “feel ready” to get started, you’ll end up “Waiting For Godot” — feelings don’t change unless people take action, said Marion Jacobs, an adjunct professor emeritus at University of California, Los Angeles and clinical psychologist.

“This ’trust your guts’ is just wrong because your guts are telling you not to do it, or you’re not ready to do it and that’s precisely what the challenge is with new years resolution,” she told the Times.

“You have to start doing something that you don’t feel ready to do So take consolation in the fact that it’s natural to feel that way but go ahead anyway.”

Once you’ve gotten started, track your progress, set reminders and reward your successes, said Mr. Norcross, who is the author of “Changeology: 5 Steps to Realizing your Goals and Resolutions.”

Don’t get discouraged if you have an occasional slip, stay positive and focused on your successes, knowing that real change takes time.

“Studies show that if you view a slip as a learning experience and as a natural part of behavior change, you’re less likely to relapse. Respond to the slip as you would to other behavioral mistakes in life: use it as a learning experience,” he wrote.

• Laura Kelly can be reached at lkelly@washingtontimes.com.

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