New Year has always been synonymous with Good Intentions: the beginning of the year brings with it a feeling of renewal and new opportunities. This is also due to the “fresh start” effect, a psychological phenomenon that gives us greater motivation to set new goals, accompanied by a feeling of optimism and motivation.
Our brain sets points in time called “mental accounting periods,” which define new beginnings for the person, such as the beginning of the year or even a move or the start of a new job. These allow our memory to relegate past mistakes to a previous period, motivating aspirational behaviors.
The way, in order not to make these resolutions just a fantasy written on paper, is to set goals that are clear, realistic and measurable, so that you can track your progress over time and gain additional motivation.
Breaking down goals into small steps is very helpful, as each goal, no matter how small, will give us a sense of accomplishment that will propel us to continue in our good purpose until we reach the final goal. Starting out with big goals without defining a path to achieve them could discourage us and make us give up on it.
The fresh start effect encourages us to let go of the past. If you didn’t achieve all your goals in 2024, don’t worry: the new year is the perfect opportunity to start again without judgment. Embrace change, restart with determination.
We at Finking wish you a happy new year and lots of energy to achieve your goals!
