{"id":42389,"date":"2025-02-28T18:21:33","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T14:21:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/?p=42389"},"modified":"2025-02-28T18:21:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T14:21:33","slug":"how-to-make-a-change-in-your-life-and-stick-to-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/how-to-make-a-change-in-your-life-and-stick-to-it\/","title":{"rendered":"How to make a change in your life \u2013 and stick to it"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

What matters is the reason you have.<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span>PeopleImages.com – Yuri A\/Shutterstock<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Is there a change you\u2019d like to make in your life? Perhaps you\u2019d finally like to write the novel you\u2019ve been thinking about for years. Perhaps you think you should start saving for a holiday or a deposit on a house or flat. Maybe you would like to improve your fitness.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s great. But we all know it can be hard to stick to these kinds of changes.\u00a0Gym membership\u00a0figures suggest half of new members quit within six months, and many of us have the evidence of\u00a0once-loved hobbies\u00a0scattered around our homes.<\/span><\/p>\n

To write that book, for instance, you\u2019re going to have to find time to do it, and stick with it when the going gets tough and initial enthusiasm has worn off.<\/span><\/p>\n

First,\u00a0you should ask yourself\u00a0why you\u2019re doing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

My research looks at the psychology of making changes through the lens of what is known as\u00a0self-determination theory, which proposes that there are\u00a0different forms of motivation. These range from, for instance, being motivated to do something because someone is making you do it, to being motivated because you think it\u2019s fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looked at like this, big changes, such as training for a new career, and smaller ones, like joining a weekly fitness class, are all the same. What matters is the reason you have for doing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Find the right reason<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You might have more than one reason for making a change. Perhaps you want to start something because it\u2019s a\u00a0TikTok trend\u00a0and everyone else seems to be doing it, or maybe the suggestion is coming from someone in your life. These are external reasons to do something, and this type of motivation is less likely to lead to success.<\/span><\/p>\n

Focus on the ones that are\u00a0\u201cinternalised\u201d\u00a0\u2013 that come from within yourself. If you can find a reason why the change is important to you and you have your own motivation to make it, you\u2019re much more likely to stick with it. It needs to be something that is aligned with your values \u2013 something you believe in.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what you\u2019re doing doesn\u2019t even have to be something you enjoy, as long as it\u2019s something you feel is important to you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Think of deciding to save money, for example. This isn\u2019t an activity that is inherently fun for most people, but the act of saving might be important because of what it represents or leads to \u2013 the holiday at the end of it, or the house you could buy with the money you put away. When you start to waver in your goal, thinking of that personal reason will help you keep going.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are two other important concepts from self-determination theory mixed up in the idea of an action being aligned with personal values. When you do something that comes from your values, you should be acting with autonomy \u2013 doing something you want to do, not something other people have made you do.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s a key construct in the theory, but it can be hard to align with things like\u00a0work or study. Perhaps your goal is to apply yourself at work or to get a good grade in your studies. But most people have a boss, or a supervisor, and their role is to instruct you on what to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a teacher, you have to work to the school\u2019s timetable, whether you like it or not. But in the jobs where you are most motivated, you will be able to make some choices for yourself. Teaching is an interesting example of when this doesn\u2019t work, because in England this very structured job has become\u00a0even more so\u00a0in recent years, coinciding with a\u00a0recruitment and retention problem\u00a0in the profession.<\/span><\/p>\n

Teacher autonomy\u00a0is widely studied and considered important even outside of self-determination theory, and a perceived lack of autonomy is likely to be one of the reasons people might want to\u00a0quit their job.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eyes on the goal<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The other really important thing is\u00a0your goal\u00a0in making the change. The best kind of goal is an autonomous one, relating to something that is intrinsically important to you. This might be competing at a high level in your sport, because it will give you joy and satisfaction to be the best you can be. This means you will put up with\u00a0hardships and challenges, and you will keep going even after a bad day.<\/span><\/p>\n

By contrast,\u00a0if your goal is an external one, you might find things more difficult. This includes if you\u2019re doing something for a reward, rather than because something is personally important to you. So, if you want to write a bestselling novel to become famous or rich, you may find that as the going gets tough, your motivation slips and work grinds to a halt.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are doing something because other people want you to, even other people who care about you, you will struggle. This may mean that some changes are just not meant to be \u2013 or it might mean changing your mindset and how you look at the goals you are aiming for.<\/span><\/p>\n

Try to get the support of people who care about you and who you care about, whether this be family and friends, or a new community at your sports club, for example. And finally, keep an eye on your goals. Any change which you are engaging in for yourself because you value it and can see the benefits, is likely to be a lasting one.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail Parrish<\/strong><\/span>
\nLecturer in Languages Education,
\nUniversity of Sheffield<\/p>\n

\n

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 28 February 2025<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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