Apply the power of habit to your annual goals.
and use it to stick to the plan when it comes to New Year’s goal setting. Let’s take a popular resolution—wanting to get in shape—and walk through how to accomplish that by applying what we know about the brain.break down into smaller, more achievable bits
Take squatting as an example. Assuming that you already know how to do a weighted back squat , you’ll need to hit the gym—or invest in some home equipment—three to four times per week to get up to your bodyweight. You’ll also need to take in enough protein to fuel the requisite muscle growth, which should be about one gram per pound of body weight. We can shorthand the protein requirement by drinking a protein shake.
To get that reward from a healthy goal, you have to make sure you get regular positive feedback. You need to regularly feel the little thrill you get when you do something you’re proud of, something that feels like an accomplishment. The best way to do that is to take your goal and break it down into smaller parts. The more frequently the parts recur, the better, because every time you link the action to the reward, the connection gets stronger.