TURN GOALS INTO ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2021

We have spent years studying motivation, emotion regulation and behaviour in family relationships, athletic performance and health information processing in the marketplace. Now at USC’s Performance Science Institute, we help people attain and sustain high performance in all aspects of their lives.

Based on our research, we propose a potential solution to the problem of New Year’s resolutions that people can’t keep: encouraging people to reframe their resolutions to emphasise purpose-based performance.

WHY THE FAILURES?

What leads to so many abandoned New Year’s resolutions? A large body of research on goal-setting and habits provides insight into the various reasons for failed resolutions.

Many people do not frame their resolutions in ways that will motivate them over time. For example, “exercise more” is a fairly clear directive, but it lacks depth and personal meaning that could help promote follow through. Overly simplified resolutions, such as “exercise more” and “eat healthier” contribute to the ongoing problem that emerges as early as mid-January each year: unintentional neglect of important self-improvement goals.

MAKE IT PURPOSEFUL

Purpose is defined simply as someone’s reason for doing something. However, scientists have recently developed a more comprehensive framework for purpose.

Purpose is associated with positive outcomes for people of all ages. People with a sense of purpose make more money, cope with life hardships more effectively and are healthier across their lifespans. Organisations that foster or reinforce employees’ sense of purpose are now referred to as “high performance workplaces”.

In the context of goal-setting for the New Year, the concept of purpose-based performance becomes especially relevant. In our research, we found that purpose-based performance is much healthier and more sustainable than outcome-driven performance.