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“New Year, New You!” You’ve probably heard this phrase many times by now. If you’re not the cynical type, you may even feel excited about fresh starts and new beginnings! Well, believe it or not, there’s actually some merit to being excited by new starts. Truthfully, everyone experiences fluctuations in motivation, and we believe that it’s best to capitalise on those upswings when they are present. Today, we’ll explore some of the evidence behind why you might feel motivated to change this time of year. We’ll also share how to make the most of that motivation. However, we don’t quite believe in “New Year, New You”, but instead, “New Year, Better You.” So, if you’re ready to unpack how you can stoke the fire of change, continue reading on!

The Future Self

Motivation comes from both external and internal factors. One internal factor is focusing on your ideal future self. This focus can boost self-control and results in delayed gratification. A study by Adelman et al. from Arizona State University examined over 500 students and found that a strong connection to their future self-improved their self-control¹. In simple terms, future-self continuity is how well you relate to your ideal future self through visualisation and action. It helps people focus on long-term goals instead of short-term temptations.

While the study looked at students, the concept applies to everyday life. Just like athletes use visualization to improve performance, having a clear picture of your future self can help you make better choices today. In simple terms, we call this executive decision-making. For example, waking up earlier to fit in a gym session, planning a healthy breakfast, or taking a walk. Each step brings you closer to becoming the person you envision. As participating in behaviours that align with your future-self improve a sense of competence and relation to that future-self, the cycle of change becomes self-perpetuating. The “trick” is in getting started!

 

Temporal Landmarks

Speaking of getting started – why is there so much buzz around New Years? It’s a common phenomenon, shown by the surge in “diet” and “gym” searches on Google during the holiday season. This is known as the “fresh start effect.” It’s when specific times or events push people to pursue their goals. Fresh starts help in two ways: they allow people to separate from their past habits, and they create clear moments to embrace change.

Research by Dai et al. found that even brief feelings of a fresh start can be valuable². They give people repeated opportunities to make changes throughout the year. If someone fails once, they have another chance to try again. Think of birthdays, returning from holidays, changes in work arrangements, anniversaries and more. Short bursts of motivation can also help achieve important one-time goals, like getting a health check-up or signing up for a gym membership. These moments can provide the push needed to build long-term habits that may have not happen if left a little too late. Temporal Landmarks are kind of like the “push-notifications” life throws your way (as opposed to your smartphone). These are the notifications you don’t want to ignore.

 

 

A better you

Understanding motivation helps us make lasting changes. Combining self-control with healthy external nudges can create routines that turn into habits. For example, choosing to limit sugar in coffee can help connect to a healthier future self although it requires some delayed gratification and self-control. External nudges such as New Years may motivate people to change routines and thereby, lifestyles. For instance, taking public transport instead of driving, can encourage more walking. This change of scenery can also help avoid triggers, such as passing by fast food restaurants that may lead to unhealthy choices when driving home after work. Of course, most things are fine in moderation, but when looking to change, something has to give. For the sake of our health, we should learn to leverage intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and how these manifest new, productive habitual behaviours.

The best time for you is now

It’s easy to feel sceptical about New Years resolutions, but we encourage you to use that excitement to your advantage. There’s no better time than now to start making positive changes. This includes participating in regular physical activity (which you can read about here) and engaging in health-promoting eating habits. At Sydney Strength Training, we want to help you achieve your goals and be Stronger For Life. That means building habits and routines that lead to real, lasting results. If you’re ready to work towards your 2025 goals and beyond, contact us today.

References:

  1. Feeling Closer to the Future Self and Doing Better: Temporal Psychological Mechanisms Underlying Academic Performance
  2. The Fresh Start Effect: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior by Hengchen Dai, Katherine L. Milkman, Jason Riis :: SSRN