New Years Resolutions - An Engineering Approach

Hugh Pickens writes "Four out of five people who make New Year's resolutions will eventually break them and a third won't even make it to the end of January says the NY Times. But experts say the real problem is that people make the wrong resolutions. The typical resolution often reflects a general desire. To engineer better behavior, it is more productive to focus on a specific goal. '"Many clients make broad resolutions, but I advise them to focus the goals so that they are not overwhelmed," says Lisa R. Young. "Small and tangible one-day-at-a-time goals work best."' Here are some resolutions that experts say can work: To lose weight, resolve to split an entree with your dining partner when dining out. To improve your fitness, wear a pedometer and monitor your daily activity. To improve family life, resolve to play with your kids at least one extra day a week. To improve your marriage, find a new activity you and your spouse both enjoy such as taking a pottery class. On a lighter note: What was Steve Jobs' New Year's Resolution?"

Re:True

[s1d]

I stand corrected. Perhaps this may actually fall in the mixed stream of "Engineering Management", involving elements from both Engineering and Management, yes?

Re:True

[MoonFog]

And that can certainly be done with resolutions. Two years ago I vowed to lose a lot of the weight I put on while studying. I had a general goal set for June/July, but I always broke it down to every day and every week, counting calories and measuring weekly. Its difficult to see 6 - 7 months ahead, you "can always start later". But, by focusing on what I wanted to accomplish each week in order to reach my goal in July, it made it easier. The result: I lost 60 lbs from January to June.

Granted, that is the only new years resolution Ive kept..

And this is why it works...

[Okian Warrior]

Before some psych major posts about how the RAS isn't involved with goals, let me clarify.

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) decides what is "important" to your conscious mind.

As you read this, you can feel the weight of the chair on your legs, feel the clothes on your shoulders, see the wall beyond the monitor, and hear the backgound noise. You can feel your breathing, and if you concentrate you can maybe hear your heart beat.

None of this information makes it to your consious mind because the RAS steps in and says "this isn't important to me". You don't notice the feel of your pants clinging to your leg, but if a bug started crawling up your leg the RAS would go nuts bringing it to the attention of your mind.

The interesting thing about the RAS is that we can tell it what is important. Once we decide on a goal, anything that reasonates with that goal will be allowed through to our conscious minds.

Day by day we are awash in possibilities that we pay no attention to. Once we set a goal and let the RAS know what's important, these possibilities start to come through to the conscious mind and we find that by exploring more and more possibilities, eventually we get to our goal.

People who set and write down goals comment on how "magical" this all appears. Almost as if there is some force in the universe that is coming to their aid. Suddenly, someone mentions that their son is selling his car and it happens to be the exact make, model, and price you were hoping for.

Of course, the possibilities were there *before* you set your goals as well - you just didn't notice them. Some people have suggested that this is how prayer works.

Whatever the underlying reasons, writing down goals seems to work. It's how people people get to be extremely successful in whatever area they choose.

Re:Steve Jobs' New Year's Resolution

[quenda]

> So what does a main course do, feed you for a month? Entrees are meant to whet the appetite

Note for non-Americans: In the US, "entree" means main course, rather than a starter.
Yes, I know - it doesn't make any sense (french for "entry"), but thats the way it is.