Make habits enjoyable to persist

Why do most New Year’s resolutions fail? And how can science help us stick to them? Behavioral economist Katy Milkman joins Science Quickly to explain the “fresh start effect,” the motivational boost we get from temporal milestones such as the arrival of a new year, birthdays or even Mondays. She shares how to build habits that last and reveals why enjoying the process is key to real change.

Recommended Reading:

How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. Katy Milkman. Portfolio, 2021

New Year’s Resolutions Are Notoriously Slippery, but Science Can Help You Keep Them

Choiceology, a podcast hosted by Katy Milkman 

Katy Milkman’s substack 

E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter.

Science Quickly is produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices