Don't Just Make New Year's Resolutions: Keep Them

How many more times are you going to make a New Year’s resolution only to fail again? Some people mistakenly believe that they have no willpower at all and so do not give themselves the opportunity to make crucial life changes that will help them — like quitting smoking, losing weight, reducing stress, insomnia or pain.

So when it comes to willpower, you either have it or not, right? The answer is no. Willpower depends upon many factors. For example, in one study, participants had a plate of radishes and fresh-baked cookies placed in front of them. One group was told they could eat the cookies and the other told that they had to resist the cookies and eat the radishes. Then both groups were given a complex puzzle to solve. Those who were asked to eat the radishes and resist the cookies gave up on the puzzle after only a few minutes whereas the people who happily ate the cookies continued to work twice as long. This means that exerting willpower in one situation can drain you for another situation later on.

Holidays are a great example of what is called “willpower depletion.” Just like the cookie study, if you are dealing with family and find yourself biting your tongue or holding back from yelling at your in-laws, you may find yourself binging on the dessert or wine later that night because you used up all of your self-control with your family. Sound familiar? Another example we are all familiar with is following our diet perfectly for five days straight and then the weekend comes and everything goes off the rails. The next thing we know we are knee-deep in ice cream, potato chips, and self-loathing. Failed again!

TAP INTO YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS AND BE HYPNOTIZED FOR SUCCESS

There are three keys to achieving your goals. The first is motivation. Research clearly shows that it is easier to quit smoking when your life is at stake. Just like movie stars who stay rail thin for those seven figure salaries, we need to find our motivation because that is the initial drive for achieving our goals. The second is social support. People who have a good support network find it easier to give up addictions and cravings. The problem is that goals are actually a very private thing and you can’t count on your social group to be on or stay on the same page as you, can you? Fail again!

The third, and most important key, is aligning your subconscious mind with your conscious mind. Our conscious mind knows what is good for us. That is the part of your mind that sees clearly the need to lose those extra pounds or put that cigarette down once and for all. It sees the end goal and knows what needs to be done to get there. The problem occurs when our subconscious is not on board with the plan. It literally undermines our efforts and sabotages our goals. Failed again!

One of the most powerful ways to tap into your subconscious is to be hypnotized. Through hypnosis you can shift your subconscious and bring it into alignment with your goals. Imagine waking up and effortlessly avoiding those fatty treats or naturally putting your fork down once you are full. Getting your subconscious on board with your goals makes them easy and effortless. It is like setting the autopilot on the airplane of success. If you are tired of watching the same old New Year’s resolutions come and go, be hypnotized and get the results you have been waiting for.