Fail-Safe Ways to Make and Keep Resolutions
Are you amongst the countless millions of people who want to make positive changes in their lives, state their intentions to family and friends, and then experience falling short of your desired outcomes? Besides being downright embarrassing, it’s demoralizing when you make sincere promises and resolutions and have little, if anything, to show for your good intentions and attempts to change.
Do you want to make and keep promises and resolutions nearly 100% of the time? What I am about to reveal is practical neuroscience-based. It requires less personal will power and time than traditional methods. Besides, there is no guilt involved with this safe and sure-fire method.
Understanding the practical neuroscience behind making and keeping promises and resolutions is your key to success. It’s simply not enough to state an intention, perhaps write it down on an index card and believe that the change will miraculously occur. This is why most people fail.
What are promises and resolutions?
Healthy and positive promises and resolutions involve changing something in your life because you see potential value. The change may reduce suffering and pain or give you something that that makes life less stressful. Healthy and positive promises and resolutions do no harm to you or others, only good occurs.
Examples of promises and resolutions include:
- being more honest and authentic
- achieving financial peace of mind
- eradicating fear and anxiety from your life
- building strong and caring relationships
- educating yourself
- experiencing better health
- paying off the mortgage
- losing 30 pounds
Your current thinking and behaviors are the result of years of self and societal programming. What you have heard, seen and directly experienced is recorded in your memory banks; repetition and the level of emotional energy determines the power of the memory imprint. Your memories are what drives your thinking and how you react and respond to life. Not all of your programming has served you well; if it did, there would be little to change.
The bottom-line is recognizing that “change” does not usually come easily or quickly. This is because you have to overcome established memory imprints and patterns by building new, more powerful ones that supersede and transcend the ones that have not served you well.
How to make and keep promises and resolutions
Take your time to think deeply about these questions. It’s important to write down your responses and perhaps have a candid discussion with someone you trust, who cares about your well being. These powerful, transformative practical neuroscience methods build new neural pathways for a better and less stressful life.
- What do you want to achieve? State a specific outcome, like “I weigh 30 pounds less, feel energized and run a mile in 7 minutes; I hear people ask how I do it.” Avoid stating what you don’t desire, such as “I don’t want to be fat anymore and hear people say I should lose my belly fat and exercise,” because your brain will focus on being fat and hearing the negative comments. Put your desired outcomes into “present moment language” as if you have already achieved what you want. This simple act will cause your brain to think differently and escape from negative programming. Write down your desired outcomes, look at them and say them aloud daily, with feeling and conviction. It’s essential that you select what you want to change with great care; look at making change as a “triage” situation. Pick the one that has the greatest long-term value and increases your quality of life. Achieve one at a time before moving on to the next one.
- What are the specific behaviors that support what I want to achieve? If you have problems thinking this through, start with the negative behaviors that created what you want to change. Reverse each negative behavior into one that is positive and proactive. An example is “Eating too much rich and unhealthy food” to “Eating five small meals consisting of a healthy balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.” Be highly specific in describing the behaviors that represent your “new self.” Develop and write down between three and five new behaviors. Construct a “mind map;” cut out photos from magazines or download images from the internet that visually depict your new actions, activities and manners. This practical neuroscience step is your navigation system for your “new and improved you.”
- What will life be like, when experiencing my new behaviors? Imagine yourself having achieved the desired changes and outcomes in your life. What does it look, feel and sound like? Are you more fulfilled and sense greater control of your life? Will you be an inspiration to others? Can you see yourself helping others improve their quality of life? Again, create a mind map and/or put together a storyboard showing what your new life looks like. You may want to combine this with the preceding visual images. These steps keep your brain motivated and focused on what you want to achieve, how to go about it with your new behaviors and what your new life will be like.
In conclusion, most people fail in keeping their promises and resolutions because they do not understand the practical neuroscience process to reprogram their brains for new behaviors. You can trust your brain to achieve new outcomes after you describe what you want in specific positive terms and envision life with your new behaviors and activities. Linking your desired outcomes with deep positive feelings keeps you focused and motivated. Daily viewing of compelling and attractive visual images accelerates building new brain pathways to a better life. Making one resolution or promise at a time maximizes success in a shorter period of time.
Author Message:
You may not be aware that our organization is a trusted and respected source of reliable practical neuroscience solutions for personal and organizational development. We have been creating and delivering brain-based human development solutions, since 1992. The message that follows directs you to a quick, easy, and low cost solution you may be searching for.
It’s easier and quicker to make and keep your promises when you use your brain strengths rather than work against them. Your personalized Brain PathWays report scientifically measures and describes your preferences for learning, thinking, listening, problem solving , and decision making. The report provides practical neuroscience tools, based on your brain strengths to “be the best you can be;” this includes making and keeping promises. The on-line process takes less than 15 minutes, the results last a life time. Click to purchase your Brain PathWays online self-assessment and download your report today.
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