At this time of the year, everyone (including us!) rolls out tips on how to keep your New Year’s resolutions. And every year, few people seriously keep them longer than a few days or weeks.

Enter the The Washington Post‘s Anita Huslin, who has an interesting article about how habits are not so easily undone by a simple resolution:

Until people recognize the underlying triggers that led them to the unhealthy habits in the first place, all of the motivating messages in the world will fail, behavioral experts suggest. But getting in touch with the catalysts for their bad habits can unleash powerful forces for change.

It’s not just a matter of willpower, any more than undoing depression or bipolar disorder is. And so it’s no wonder most people fail in keeping their New Year’s resolutions. You can’t just say, “I’m going to stop doing this thing I’ve been doing for the past 10 years.” Human behavior doesn’t work that way — if it did, there’d be little need for therapists.

So change can come, but it takes more hard work and effort than I think most people realize. This article lays out the groundwork for understanding the complexities involved in this process. If you’re serious about change, it’s an article worth your time.

Read the article: Are You Really Ready To Clean Up Your Act?

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 2 Jan 2007
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