New year, same goals...or a smarter approach?

Every January many people set New Year resolutions:

I will eat more healthy foods.

I will exercise regularly.

I will get a promotion at work.

I will earn better grades in school.

I will argue less with my parents/partner/boss.

Do these goals sound familiar? Many people who make New Year resolutions do not achieve them. Why is this? Most likely, the goals do not align with their intrinsic motives and core values.

The Reiss Motivation Profile® (RMP) reveals the intrinsic motives that drive your behavior as well as the core values that affect how you relate to others. This knowledge can help you set realistic goals based on how you are wired. The RMP also can suggest ways to help you sustain effort in working toward challenging goals that do not reflect who you are.

One of the motives assessed by the RMP is Physical Activity, or the desire for muscle exercise. People with a weak need for this intrinsic motive typically have trouble following a regular exercise routine. These individuals are likely to be more successful in elevating their physical activity by choosing activities that require moderate exertion – for example, walking instead of running. They also may want to use their stronger motives to help reinforce their New Year resolution to exercise more. For example:

• People with a strong need for Social Contact may benefit from working out with a partner.
• People with a strong need for Order may prefer to follow the same routine each day.
• People with a strong need for Idealism may like to exercise as a way of raising money for medical research.
• People with a strong need for Power may be more motivated to exercise when they track their progress toward challenging goals.
• People with a strong need for Vengeance may exercise more if competition is involved.

Take the Reiss Motivation Profile® to use a scientific approach to setting and achieving your New Year resolutions: www.takethermp.com.