How to really change your behavior this new year — hint, one thing won’t get you there

January 1st is coming and you’re likely preparing to break free of past behaviors and become a better you. However, January 12th is also coming up fast. Odds are that you will have given up on many of your new years resolutions by then, with others falling off the wagon soon thereafter.

So what can you do to make this year different than the many years previous? Well, for starters you can try something different than what you did each of those other years. Here are some thoughts on what that different strategy might look like from a recovering goal-breaker and behavior change enthusiast.

The one thing

If you’re looking for a silver bullet to weight loss or learning a new skill, this isn’t the right place for you. There just isn’t one thing you can do to create lasting and deep change. That is my number one rule for behavior change. Behavior change is difficult. It’s complicated.

Your inner scientist

In order to create long-lasting change you may need to change how you see the world a little. I’m going to ask you to put on your nerd glasses and start seeing the world through a different lens — the lens of a scientist. One of the first myths we need to overcome about our new…