Four Enthusiastic TED Talks to Aid in Maintaining Your New Year's Pledges
In the pursuit of achieving New Year's resolutions, adopting attitudes and mindsets such as grit, gratitude, and the power of belief can be instrumental in fostering resilience, maintaining motivation, and enabling positive responses to setbacks.
Grit, a quality encompassing stamina, passion, and perseverance, is essential for reaching long-term goals. David Steindl-Rast, a Catholic Benedictine monk, advocates for the practice of being grateful and sharing gratitude with others as a path to happiness, which can bolster grit by fostering a positive outlook.
The power of belief and a growth mindset, as proposed by Stanford University psychology professor Carol Dweck, can enable individuals to reframe setbacks as temporary and surmountable. Believing that one can improve and grow, rather than viewing abilities as fixed, can empower individuals to persist in their resolutions despite challenges.
Gratitude and identifying one's "why" (core values and meaningful reasons) can keep motivation strong by connecting resolutions to personal values and desired outcomes. For example, remembering why one wants to stay healthy or fit can help maintain commitment to these resolutions.
Shifting focus to what one can control, rather than trying to control others, enhances psychological well-being and prevents frustration, which can derail goals. Developing a positive internal narrative and personal philosophy aligned with one's core beliefs supports emotional resilience and balanced self-care, which underlies sustained effort toward goals.
Emily Balcetis, a social psychologist, suggests that the less in shape a person is, the more likely they are to perceive exercise as difficult. By changing one's attitude about exercise and focusing on the goal, individuals can increase their chances of success.
In a study by the University of Scranton, it was found that only about 8% of Americans achieve their New Year's resolutions. Adopting grit, gratitude, and a growth mindset can help bridge this gap, enabling individuals to stay motivated, recover from setbacks, and keep their resolutions beyond initial enthusiasm.
Angela Lee Duckworth, a psychologist, identifies grit as the key personality trait separating the successful from the unsuccessful. Grit is undying determination in the face of obstacles and is essential for reaching long-term goals. Dweck also suggests that one's ability to learn and solve problems can be grown and improved, further emphasising the importance of adopting these mindsets for personal growth and success.
