Скачать или смотреть Why 92% of us will quit by February (my plan to be in the 8%)

New Year’s resolutions often fail due to a disconnect between the planning and doing self. The planning self sets ambitious goals, fueled by a dopamine rush from visualizing success, while the doing self faces the reality of effort and discomfort. This reward prediction error, where the actual reward falls short of expectations, undermines motivation and perpetuates the cycle of disappointment.

The brain’s motivation system can be manipulated, leading to a decrease in ambition when goals are not achieved. This is compounded by the “what the hell effect,” where a single lapse in a binary goal leads to total abandonment. To combat this, a shift from outcome-based goals to process-oriented protocols is necessary, as exemplified by Roald Amundsen’s consistent 30-kilometer marches in Antarctica.

The traditional New Year’s resolution is replaced with the Amundsen protocol, focusing on consistency over intensity. This protocol consists of three steps: setting a trivially easy daily action (the floor), implementing a “never miss twice” rule, and starting immediately (the activator). By prioritizing daily adherence to a simple action, individuals can build confidence and achieve long-term change.