Quick bits
To reach your goals, try phrasing them with a positive spin (“I will start to take a walk every day”). In a study in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers tracked more than 1,000 people as they worked toward achieving a goal, and found that those who talked about their goals using a phrase like “I will start to” were more successful than those who said, “I will avoid.” Why? Other research shows so-called “avoidance goals” seem less enjoyable and more difficult than “approach goals,” which we’re more likely to feel excited about and actually pursue.