Big goals can be discouraging. They can sometimes be set so far out of reach that we get discouraged at the first setback and give up on them altogether. That’s why it seems that gradual, small steps work better in achieving greater life changes. Setting a series of small, attainable goals helps us better achieve that big goal.
Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, professor of psychology at Yale University has studied extensively the relationship between mood, motivation and thinking patterns. She has particularly looked at rumination, when people focus more on negative aspects of their achievements and life and their “possible causes and consequences.” According to her, people who ruminate get stuck in a cycle of thinking about their achievements and their problems and, as a result, make things worse by creating negative thinking, blaming and a decreased ability to problem solve. Perhaps her best known book is “Women who Think Too Much: How to Break Free of Overthinking and Reclaim Your Life”
This thinking pattern can affect the way we approach positive change, such as resolutions around health or attitudes toward work. Consequently Nolen-Hoeksema recommends that we focus on small achievable goals, make one specific by writing it down, and rewarding ourselves when we achieve it. Her advice is found in an article on today’s CNN website entitled “10 ways to get motivated for change in 2010”
Let’s say you want to work on being more optimistic this year. Nolen-Hoeksema recommends imagining what you would be like if you were optimistic. Imagine yourself going through a day at work if you were optimistic and confident, then write that down in great detail. Now, you have specific aspects of that ideal of optimism to work toward. Pick one thing that the optimistic you is doing that you’re not, and start working in that direction.
The rest of the advice can be found at http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/12/29/motivation.new.years.resolutions/index.html?iref=allsearch
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