3. Being impatient
????This tendency is a major reason why, one British study showed, a whopping 88% of individuals' New Year's resolutions fail. "Even positive change feels uncomfortable for a while in the beginning," Connellan notes. "But each time you do something differently, the brain goes to work making new connections and setting up a new habit, which will eventually feel as natural as the old one it's replacing."
????The important word here is "eventually." "It takes at least 21 days of conscious effort to form a new habit, but 30 days is probably a better way to look at it, because it fits more easily into your calendar," Connellan says. "So expect there will be some discomfort with change, but commit to specific milestones for each 30-day period."
????This slow-and-steady approach can add up to measurable progress, as it did for a brokerage-firm client of Connellan's that coached financial advisors to make "very small changes in behavior," including emailing clients more often with information that might interest them and scheduling a few more face-to-face meetings than before. The result: sales were up 4% after six months.
????"It's fine to 'think big', of course," notes Connellan. "But if you want to see huge results, start small." That sounds like a resolution anyone, or any company, has a shot at keeping.
