Small Move, Big Change summary

When you fail to keep a resolution, it’s easy to berate yourself for having poor self-control. However, this is far too simplistic. The real reason why we fail is that our habits and routines – the things we do without thinking – govern much of our behavior.

In short: we spend a lot of our time on autopilot.

So what should you do to change your bad habits? Make microresolutions.

Microresolutions take your broad and unmanageable resolutions, chop them up and turn them into precise and practical plans that you can quickly achieve.

Although you can easily keep a microresolution, it may take some time for your brain to permanently adjust to following new habits.

Early on, it’s not unusual to feel confused or annoyed as you struggle to keep your new habits.

You are unique, with your own desires and needs. Consequently, there is no universal master list of microresolutions from which you can choose to change your behavior for the better.

Microresolutions are also unique. They correspond to your individual needs and to your mind-set, and should be framed in a way that makes it easy for you to follow them.

Have you heard of Pavlov’s dogs? Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov conducted an experiment in which he rang a bell whenever it was time for his dogs to eat. Gradually, the dogs connected the bell with meal times, so when the bell rang, they began to salivate – even if there was no food in front of them.

We are programmed in much the same way – hearing, smelling or seeing certain cues can cause our bodies to react in certain ways. Often, this can lead to unhealthy habits.

We all need to sleep, yet we sleep far too little. Even though science has shown that sleep deprivation wears us down and fogs our thinking, some 75 percent of American adults still sleep less than six hours per night.

Most of us desperately need to find ways to get more sleep. Luckily, microresolutions can help!

Who hasn’t made a resolution to “get fit” and then almost immediately broken it? Getting in shape is one of the most difficult resolutions to keep.

Our hunting-and-gathering ancestors never had to worry about slimming down. But our modern lives are far less active: we sit at a desk all day, slouch on the couch all evening, then lay in bed all night.