This 4-Minute “Keystone Habit” Will Transform Your Next 4 Years

“New Year’s resolutions should be called res-ILLUSIONS”, my friend quipped on January 1st; “people delude themselves that they will actually do them.” Unfortunately, the research shows he is mostly right — on average, only 19% of people keep their New Year’s resolutions after 2 years! So why is long-term change so hard? As a psychologist, the #1 mistake I see people make with resolutions is that they focus more on goal-setting rather than than goal-iteration. While it’s useful to set S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound), the best intentions are usually never followed up with actual behavior change in the long run.

I also know this first hand — I read dozens of great posts, articles, and books on leadership, entrepreneurship, and technology every year. They are written by brilliant people with evidence-based strategies for personal and professional development. However, I can tell you that until I used the system I am about to share, almost none of it actually made a tangible and sustainable effect on my life. So here is the “resolution solution” that transformed futile failure into sustainable success.

Successful Behavior Change Requires Feedback Loops:

Behavior change ultimately boils down to two positive feedback loops: the Goal Progress Loop and…